§ 51. Major HILLSasked the Lord Privy Seal where the Mantegna cartoons, 899 formerly at Hampton Court Palace, now are; whether one or more of them hag or have been recently restored; whether any part of the cost of the restoration or for moving the pictures for the purpose of restoration or housing or insuring them during restoration, or any other money paid or payable in respect of the restoration, will be paid out of money which Parliament has provided or will be asked to provide; and, if so, under what Vote it will be accounted for?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Baldwin)The Mantegna cartoons are still at Hampton Court Palace. These pictures were extensively restored and modernised by Lagnerre in the reign of King William III. I understand that an attempt was recently made to discover if it would be possible in the case of one of the pictures in which the original painting by Mantegna was entirely concealed to remove the over-painting and reveal the original work. As I have already explained, these pictures form no part of the national collections, and all the expenses in connection with the restoration were borne by the Civil List. The money is not therefore accounted for under any Vote.