§ MR. TOMLINSONasked the honourable Member for East Cumberland, as one of the Trustees of the National Gallery, Whether he can state what were the conditions on which Messrs. Braun and Co. of Germany, and Messrs. Goupil and Co. of Paris, were respectively allowed to photograph the pictures in the National Gallery; whether any facilities were accorded to them, or either of them, which have been or would be refused to other photographers; whether amongst such facilities were comprised those of being allowed to remove 464 the glass from some of the pictures, or to have them taken from the wall; whether the permission to erect a temporary structure outside the National Gallery was accorded exclusively to Messrs. Braun and Co. or whether a similar privilege would be given to any English photographers; whether any stipulations were made with the favoured photographers as to the price at which copies of the photographs were to be allowed to be sold, or as to providing copies gratis or at a reduced price to any public institution; whether any consideration was given by the favoured firms, or either of them, for the privileges accorded to them; whether any English photographers would be allowed any similar privileges to those given to the Foreign firms; and, if so, under what conditions; whether any special arrangements will be made for photographing the Ansidei Raphael; and, whether any Papers relating to the subject will be laid upon the Table?
§ MR. GEORGE HOWARD, in reply, said that Messrs. Braun had made photographic reproductions from most of the picture galleries of Europe, and in the case of the National Gallery no special conditions were laid down. They had made reproductions of 320 pictures, and they were not allowed to remove all the pictures during the progress of the work.
§ MR. TOMLINSONWere there any written conditions?
§ MR. GEORGE HOWARDNo, Sir.