Letter from Joseph Kanné to Dr. Ernst Becker reporting on his progress in obtaining photographs of Raphael drawings in Milan and Florence and seeking clarification about which drawings in the Uffizi are to be photographed.

Kanné writes from Florence saying that he is doing his best to carry out the task given him by Prince Albert. In Milan he obtained permission from Don Guido Fumagalli - wrongly named Camillo by Passavant - to have the picture signed 'MD' photographed, and he hopes to receive both print and negative in Paris soon and bring them back to England with him. The other pictures marked as being in Milan are no longer there and he has not been able to find out more about them. But in order to get the drawings in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana (in Milan) photographed he needs another letter of authorisation, as he had to leave Milan for Florence, where he needs the letter he has. He asks Becker to send a duplicate to Milan, where he has a reliable friend, Bairr, who will use it to get the photography done while he is away. The Director of the Uffizi Gallery, Marchese Lucca Bourbon del Monte, and the Inspector of the Accademia di Belle Arti, Signor Maselli, have given him permission to have the drawings requested by the Prince photographed, on condition that the photographer Alinari is used. Kanné thinks Alinari will charge too much. The Marchese del Monte did not agree to have the work done in exchange for copies of the collection in Windsor because it would cost too much, although he would like to have the copies from Windsor. Kanné is not clear which drawings in the Uffizi are to be photographed: in the copy of Passavant which Becker gave him, nos. 103 to 110 are marked as to be photographed in exchange for the Windsor collection, and he has ordered photographs of these from Alinari. But a note beside nos. 111 to 141 states that the Prince already has engravings of these. He has therefore not ordered photographs of them and awaits Becker's instructions. Kanné has seen the three drawings in the Accademia, which are very beautiful, and he has asked Alinari to photograph them too, as also the drawing of the cartoon for Pope Julius II in the Corsini collection, with Prince Corsini's permission. He has obtained a few photographs elsewhere. He asks Becker to write to him at Naples about whether all the Uffizi drawings are to be photographed. He has ordered only 12 photographs because of the high price. Alinari asks for 80 francs, or £3.4s per item including negatives, but his work is excellent.