| Collection | Victorian Additional Papers |
| Description | The list is headed in Italian: 'Original drawings by Raphael in the private library of H.M. the King of Sardinia'. At the beginning, Gruner notes that these drawings, together with many by other masters, were collected by Giovanni Volpato at the beginning of the century and ceded to the King of Sardinia on condition that the collector should continue to superintend them.
A list of eight drawings or sheets of drawings follows:
1. Study in two parts, in pen and wash (bistre), a rich composition with 14-16 figures; 5 on the right including a water-carrier and a kneeling patron, 8 on the left, probably a Presentation in the Temple. Formerly belonging to Vasari, who has drawn his usual frame around it. 2. Pen and wash study from Raphael's period studying Masaccio. Double sided, on one side 5 figures, part of a Presentation in the Temple; on the other the continuation of this composition, with the patron receiving the child back from the high priest. 9 figures, very much in Masaccio's style. 3. A sheet of studies, in particular an unclad figure, perhaps a St John; a study of a child, a study for a Madonna; on the reverse a man ploughing. Pen and wash on one side, red sepia on the other. 4. Beautiful drawing of the burial of John the Baptist, with 9 other figures, four youths with torches in the middle. 5. Head of a muse, profile turned to the left. Charcoal, pricked through. 6. The finest and most worked up drawing: 9 figures from the Slaughter of the Innocents, 119 in Mariette's catalogue of Crozat [collection of Pierre Crozat]. 7. Preliminary sketch of the Holy Family in Naples, unusually large drawing in 'Rothstein' [red chalk]. On the reverse, indeterminate un-Italian buildings. The drawing formerly belonged to the Dukes of Savoy. 8. Well worked up, outstanding study of Bathsheba, also from the Savoy collection. Lower half of figure, probably intended to be clothed, more lightly handled.
Gruner ends by apologising for the fact that these notes are not always very clear; he wrote them in pencil a long time ago. He offers to send his notes on the Raphael drawings in bound volumes in the Louvre if the Prince Consort does not already have details of these.
King of Sardinia referred to is Charles Albert, King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy (1798-1849)
Originally enclosed with VIC/ADDA10/85/304.
Transcript in separate folder and in RA Research Information. |