Comment on 20.3.1802
Since Thorvaldsen did not return to Copenhagen immediately as was the plan at this moment, the crates remained at Abildgaard’s residence until his death in 1809. After that, Juliane Marie Abildgaard handed over the rest to C.A. Lorentzen of the Academy of Fine Arts, see his receipt of 19.4.1811 til to the widow.
When Thorvaldsen asked Abildgaard – and not his father or his friend, Jørgen West – to keep his things, it is because the main contents of the crates were works of art which were to show his artistic progress to the Academy of Fine Arts.
However, as he mentions below, there were objects in the crates which were meant for his friends, see e.g. the First Crate.
Last updated 30.04.2015