Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Christian 8.
København
Museet ejer en fotografisk kopi af brevet, men af denne fremgår det ikke, om brevet er forsynet med udskrift, forsegling mm.
Thorvaldsen skrev 21.6.1834 et brev til Kunstakademiet i København med delvist samme indhold som i nærværende brev. Det er derfor rimeligt at antage, at begge breve til Danmark er skrevet på eller omkring denne dato.
By mistake, the Roman postal services have delayed delivery of some of Thorvaldsen’s letters. Therefore, seven months have passed before Thorvaldsen sends this letter, in which he thanks the Prince for the Silver Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. Thorvaldsen regrets that he has not yet begun his journey to Denmark. He is concerned about his daughter Elisa’s dowry, and he asks Christian (8.) Frederik to help him in this matter.
Min naadigste Prinds!
Det smerter mig særdeles, at jeg først nu seer mig istand til at udtrykke Deres Kongelige Høihed min dybeste Tak for Deres naadigste Skrivelse af 15de November 1833I, hvori Deres Kongelige Høihed med Deres sædvanlige Bevaagenhed meddeler mig Hans Majestæt KongensII udmærkede Naade i at udnævne mig til DannebrogsmandIII. Ved en ubegribelig Feiltagelse af det herværende Postvæsen, er jeg først i disse Dage kommet i Besiddelse af den Paquet, som indesluttede saavel Deres Kongelige Høiheds Skrivelse, som og de øvrige høie MeddelelserIV om dette nye Beviis paa Hans Majestæts Naade; jeg har saaledes i flere Maaneder været berøvet saavel den Glæde at læse Deres Skrivelse, som og den mig kjære Pligt paa det underdanigste og taknemmeligste at besvare Samme. –
Desværre har mine ArbeiderV som ogsaa mit HelbredVI endnu ikke tilladt mig at tiltræde Reisen til FædrelandetVII, men jeg beder Deres Kongelige Høihed at være overbeviist om at jeg arbeider daglig til dette Maal, som er blevet mig dobbelt dyrebart ved den høie Velvillie, hvormed jeg seer at jeg ventes i mit Hjem. –
Deres Kongelige Høiheds gunstige UdtrykVIII over mine hjemsendte ArbeiderIX ere mig saameget mere kjære da de komme fra en smagfuld Kjender af Kunsten; jeg har i Anledning af disse Arbeider tidligere tilskrevet saavel Hr Conferentsraad HansenX som og det Kongelige AkademiesXI SecretairXII, og bør formode at Deres Kongelige Høihed er bleven underrettet om disse Breves Indhold.
Jeg aflægger Deres Kongelige Høihed min underdanigste Tak for Høisammes Forsorg med Hensyn til mit Ønske om 20,000 SpeciesXIII Indsættelse i NationalbankenXIV til Fordeel for min DatterXV. Da min SvigersønsXVI bestandige Paamindelse i denne Pengesag skaffer mig en idelig UroXVII, vilde det være mig yderst kjært at see samme tilendebragt
Jeg har for ikke længe siden tilskrevet de Herrer Conferentsraader HansenXVIII og CollinXIX desangaaende, og detailleret saavel hvad jeg troer at have tilgode hjemme, som og den Sikkerhed Den Kongelige Danske Regjering stedse ville kunde have i mine andre Arbeider og ved den af mig fastsatte BestemmelseXX at Pengene forblive i Landet selv. Jeg vover endnu engang at anbefale dette Anliggende til Deres Kongelige Høiheds naadigste Opmærksomhed. –
Jeg slutter, min naadigste Prinds! med saavel mit, som alle danske Kunstneres inderligste Ønsker for Deres høje Vel, og henlever
Deres Kongelige Høiheds
underdanigste og taknemmeligste
Albert Thorvaldsen
Most Gracious Prince,
I am terribly sorry that I only now am in a position to express to Your Royal Highness my most sincere thanks for your gracious favour of November 15th 1833 in which Your Royal Highness with your usual good grace informs me of His Majesty the King’s good favour to award me the Silver Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. By an incomprehensible mistake from the postal service here, I have only these days got possession of the parcel containing the letter from Your Royal Highness as well as other messages about this new proof of His Majesty’s grace; so for several months I have been deprived of the pleasure of reading your letter as well as the pleasant duty most humbly and gratefully to answer the same. –
Unfortunately my works as well as my health have not yet permitted me to begin the journey to my native land, but I beg Your Royal Highness to be convinced that I work daily for this object, which has become twice as precious by the goodwill with which I can see that I am expected at my home. –
Your Royal Highness’ favourable expressions about the works I have sent home are so much dearer to me as they come from a connoisseur of taste; in connection with these works I have earlier written to Konferensråd Hansen as well as the Secretary of the Royal Academy of Fine Art, and I should think that Your Royal Highness has been informed about the content of these letters.
I give my most humble thanks to Your Royal Highness for the care you have taken as regards my wish to have 20,000 Species placed in the National Bank for the benefit of my daughter. As the constant reminder from my son-in-law in this money matter gives me perpetual anxiety, it would be rather pleasant to see this finished.
Not long ago I wrote to Konferensråd Hansen and Collin about this, and in details about what I think I am owed from home as well as the security the royal Danish government constantly will have in my other works and by my stipulation that the money must remain in the country itself. I venture once more to recommend this matter to the gracious care of His Royal Highness. –
I finish, Gracious Prince, with my wish, as well as the most sincere wishes from all Danish artists for your health and am
Your Royal Highness’
Most humble and grateful
Albert Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
Ludvig Bødtcher
Last updated 12.06.2020
Cf. letter dated 15.11.1833 from Christian (8.) Frederik to Thorvaldsen.
The Danish King Frederik 6.
Cf. the Thorvaldsen chronology 22.10.1833.
Thorvaldsen was working intensively on the equestrian statue Maximilian 1., bronze, 1839, Wittelbachers Platz, Munich, cf. A128 (the horse) and cf. A762 (the rider).
See also the documents regarding the subject The Equestrian Statue of Maximilian 1.
Cf. documents regarding the subject Thorvaldsen’s Health.
Thorvaldsen was planning to travel to Copenhagen, but the journey home was postponed several times and not begun until 5.8.1838.
See the documents regarding the subject Cancelled Journeys to Denmark.
Cf. letter dated 15.11.1833 from Christian (8.) Frederik to Thorvaldsen.
Cf. the article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1833.
Cf. letter dated 16.5.1833 from Thorvaldsen to C.F. Hansen.
I.e. the Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.
Cf. letter dated 21.12.1833 from Thorvaldsen to Just Mathias Thiele.
I.e. 20,000 species or 40,000 rix-dollars in silver, cf. documents regarding the subject Elisa Paulsen’s Dowry.
Nationalbanken i Kjøbenhavn.
Thorvaldsen’s daughter Elisa Paulsen.
The Danish leiutenant-colonel Fritz Paulsen.
Fritz Paulsen was eager to ensure that the formalities regarding Elisa’s dowry were settled as soon as possible, and he was constantly reminding Thorvaldsen to get things done, cf. the documents regarding the subjects Elisa Paulsen’s Dowry and Elisa and Fritz Paulsen’s Marriage.
Cf. letter dated 16.4.1834 from Thorvaldsen to C.F. Hansen.
Cf. letter dated 16.4.1834 from Thorvaldsen to Jonas Collin.
Thorvaldsen had decided that the 20,000 species [40,000 rix-dollars] for Elisa’s dowry were to be deducted from the sum that the Danish state owed him as payment for various works commissioned for the Church of Our Lady and Christiansborg Palace and deposited in the National Bank in Copenhagen.