Letter from Ludwig Gruner to Charles Ruland regarding a photograph of Raphael's drawing of a Muse in the possession of Professor Räher.

Gruner writes that he is enclosing a letter addressed to Dr. Haertel, with information about the question of photographing the Raphael drawing of a Muse in the possession of Professor Räher. He asks Ruland to tell the Prince Consort about its contents, but to return the letter to him as soon as possible, as he has sent it without the knowledge of the addressee. In the circumstances, Gruner thinks the best thing would be to obtain a signed facsimile copy of the drawing. If the Prince gives him the command, he will see to it.

Added after the end of the letter, on the inside of the back page, is a note in another hand, presumably a copy of an extract from the letter which Gruner enclosed. It describes the drawing as being on rather dark brown paper, in black chalk, with some reddish tones on the mouth and cheeks. The hair is yellow and the background coloured in in blue. The drawing is very fine, but as if delicately breathed onto the (quite strongly ribbed) laid paper, the unevenness of which shows up as it is mounted on linen.

It is presumed that Dr. Haertel is the same as the writer of VIC/ADDA10/85/368.

Related Material: For related correspondence, see VIC/ADDA10/85/368.