Comment on 17.1.-14.2.1797

Probably the frigate Thetis’ ship’s secretary H.A. Schmidt’s diary of the journey from Copenhagen to Malta. The diary was only kept until 17.12.1796 and must have been given to Thorvaldsen when he left the frigate the next day. Cf. also Thiele I, p. 53.
Later Thorvaldsen used the diary as a sketchbook, cf. the many figure drawings at the back of the book. In 1838, Thorvaldsen gave the diary to Thiele, and now it is in the Thorvaldsens Museum archives. Thiele’s account of the frigate’s journey from Copenhagen to Malta is based on this diary, see Thiele I, p. 55-69.

Last updated 25.03.2015