No. 342 of 10318
Sender Date Recipient
Bertel Thorvaldsen [+]

Sender’s Location

Rom

Ultimo februar 1804 [+]

Dating based on

Udkastet er udateret, men det skal sandsynligvis dateres til slutningen af februar 1804 af to grunde: Udkastet er skrevet bag på et andet brevudkast til Abildgaard, som ganske vist også er udateret, men som er forlæg til Thorvaldsens brev af 25.2.1804.
Desuden omtaler Thorvaldsen her sin mors død, som han netop var blevet informeret om i Abildgaards brev af 17.1.1804.

Gotskalk Thorvaldsen [+]

Recipient’s Location

København

Abstract

Fragment of a draft in which Thorvaldsen tells his father that he has been ill, and that he has heard of his mother’s death from Nicolai Abildgaard. He wants to know who has supported his father.

See Original [Translation]

Gode Fader!
Efter at have været Syg et hel aar og i al den tiid ikke har kundet arbede som har sat mig i end forfaning som er udbeskrivelig og da ieg nu var begynde at komme mig lidet faaer ieg de gruelige efterretning for Justidsraad Abildgaard. hvorledes det gor Skriv mig dog til, og lad mig hvide alt[,] nenv mig de der har giordt noget for Ders Beste

General Comment

Thiele I, p. 212 doubts that this draft was ever finished and sent off. However, since Gotskalk Thorvaldsen in his letter of 20.10.1805 told his son who had done something for him – which is what Thorvaldsen is asking here – a letter must have reached Copenhagen.
One may wonder that this draft does not mention what must have been a terrible disappointment to his parents, i.e. his continuance in Rome, see e.g. the father’s reproof of
3.5.1803. However, the matter may have been touched on in the version of the letter that was sent off.

Archival Reference
m28, nr. 91,1
Document Type
Draft, autograph
Thiele
Gengivet hos Thiele I, p. 212.
Subjects
Thorvaldsen's Parents · Thorvaldsen's Illness 1803-04
Persons
Nicolai Abildgaard
Last updated 21.04.2015 Print