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22 February 1899 — Rome | |
Wednesday. 22nd [February 1899]. Did not go out in the morning. Wrote & studied French. Lunched in restaurant & was joined there by Mr Wagner a Russian ex diplomat whom I had known at Madrid. A pleasant little man. He tells me he now devotes himself to collecting beetles. At 3 I went to see Countess Pasolini & sat a little while with her. I met there a Signorina Gordigiani & her fiancé Herr Mendelssohn. At 4 I went to Dss of Sermoneta who had a small dance for children to amuse her boy Michelangelo who is about 8. A very handsome aristocrat boy—with very good manners. Lady Vivian came there with her Baby & Violet the twin. She left the two there together & we went on to the Consulta where Css Canevaro had a large reception. Braga was there & gave me an affectionate greeting & we swore eternal friendship. I am to go one day this week to hear him play the violincello to Ersilia Canevaro– I got away as soon as I could & went to Marchesa del Grillo’s (Ristori). I had to walk as I cd not remember the name of the street (Monterone) where she lived but knew it by sight. I got there latish & found only Mme d’Antas there [who] brought me back to the hotel in her carriage. Met there besides the Capranica couple & their small child of 2 who had come back from the Sermoneta party in a state of excitement. Lady Currie was also at that party with her baby grandchild & its mother a timid little woman who seemed to give up everything, even her baby to Lady Currie. The child is abt 2 & still in arms. I dined at Rest: with Mme de Bülow. Lady Louisa turned up from her country trip just as we had finished & told us all about the wedding at Porto Dazio for which she had come in between Signorina Sindici (authoress of “Via Lucis”) & Mr Heinmann her English Editor. The father Sindici is the Sindaco of Porto Dazio and the R.C. marriage took place there. Lady Louisa played patience in my room in eveng. Donna Laura Minghetti told me yesterday the whole story of the sale of the sol disant picture by Leonardo da Vinci given her by Morelli. As she had admired the picture in his rooms & he had given only a few francs for it at Florence & knew that altho’ a pretty thing it was not by Leonardo he had given it to Donna Laura. She had given it to her daughter Mme de Bülow but it remained with Donna Laura here. One day Mr J. P. Richter a pupil of Morelli’s & now a picture dealer of not very good repute asked Da Laura’s permission to take a friend to see her pictures– This she gave & a day or two after Richter wrote to say that his friend (an American) offered her 5,000 francs for the “Leonardo.” She telegraphed to ask her daughter & they took the offer—Richter having stipulated for his percentage. Richter must have known as well as Mme Minghetti what had been Morelli’s real opinion of the picture, but he did not scruple to sell it to the American for this enormous sum– Henry always said that when once a man took to picture dealing or to antiquaries he was morally ruined. Richter had behaved so dishonestly to the Trustees of the Nat: Gallery formerly that they (Henry & Sir Wm Gregory) & Sir F. Burton had long ago broken off relations with him. I used to tell Morelli in former days jokingly that he was made use of by a German who picked his brain for his own advantage. | |
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