 The piece was in very poor condition, split in two and kept together by a piece of wire.Master Martinez took the painting for further study and research, and after taking x-rays and other steps he was convinced that it was, in fact, an original Raphael.When the rumor about the painting reached the press, it quickly started a heated debate; some dismissed it, including the "El Tiempo" daily that argued that it was a copy of a Raphael piece currently at the Museo del Prado.