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Prince Albert's Personal Papers

Papers relating to Prince Albert’s personal life and enthusiasms

LUMELY, JOHN SAVILE-; SECRETARY OF BRITISH LEGATION, MADRID

Memorandum by John Savile-Lumley concerning pictures by Raphael in the Royal Museum in Madrid of which the Prince Consort wishes to have photographs.

7 Oct 1858

Loose manuscript paper; mounted | 1 document (4 pages) (whole object) | RA VIC/ADDA10/85/310

Lumley states that four of the ten pictures by Raphael in the Madrid Museum came from the Escorial; one resembles the description given by Becker of the first of the three pictures which the Prince wishes photographed. It is No. 794 in the museum catalogue, a Holy Family known as 'de la Rosa' because of the rose lying on the table by the child's foot. Becker's description says the two children hold lambs; in this picture they hold scrolls inscribed 'Agnus Dei', but otherwise the picture is as described by Becker.

Neither the present Director of the Museum, Sr Ribera, nor his predecessor Sr P. de Madrasso, knows anything about the other two pictures in Becker's list, said to have been at the Escorial and at San Ildefonso. They state that all the known Raphael works in royal residences were brought to Madrid in 1808, but they have no recollection of the two pictures described. There is, however, a picture by Giulio Romano which corresponds perfectly to the third picture on the list; it is No. 827 in the museum catalogue.

There are no photographs in Madrid of any of the pictures in the Museum. The Director has told Lumley that he strongly objects to any being photographed, but as all the pictures are royal property, the Intendant of the Royal Palaces, the Marques de St Ysabel, might give permission. The latter is however in Paris and the photographer Mr Clifford is also away from Madrid.

Related Material: For related material, see VIC/ADDA10/85/309.
  • Creator(s)

    Lumely, John Savile-; Secretary of British Legation, Madrid (writer) [7 October 1858]

  • 1 document (4 pages) (whole object)