4.2.1809

Sender

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Sender’s Location

Rom

Recipient

Christian Ditlev Reventlow

Recipient’s Location

København

Information on recipient

Ingen udskrift.

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Abstract

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

Document

Rom den 4de Februari 1809

Deres Excellenza!

Jeg har ved vores fortreffelige Kammerherre von Schubart modtaget Deres Excellenzes meget ærede af 28d Nov. Eftersom jeg altrig haver nyttet den Fornøyelse at tilskrive Deres Excellenze, føler jeg saa meget mere Glæde ved at erfare De uden Anmodning haver mig i Deres kiærlige Erindring og vover jeg i følge Deres Opmuntring, ikke alleneste at give Deres Excellence underretning om mine Arbejder; men ogsaa om mine Ekonomiske Tilstand –

De spørger: Hvad Bestemmelse jeg jeg haver havt med de Byster jeg for flere Aar siden hiemsendte; Med disse haver jeg ikke havt andet Øyemed end at viise Accademiet hvad Fremgang jeg den Tiid havde giort i at arbejde i Marmor, og ifald det havde lykkes mig, at sælge disse jeg da havde havt nogen Leglighed til at kunde understytte min gamle Fader, men da Tiiden haver forandret dette – Veed jeg ingen bedere Bestemmelse med Bernstofs Byste end den, den alerede haver, nemlig: at værdiges Deres Excellenzes Gemak i Haab om at Deres Excellenze anseer dette som et lidet Beviis paa min Erkiænlighed for den omhygelige Bevaagenhed Deres Excellenze altiid saa faderlig haver værdiget mig. Eftersom at Tiiderne fornærværende, ere saa ugunstige for Konsten bør jeg ikke andet sige end at have værret heldig, endnu haver Mangel paa Arbejder ikke sat mig ud af Kraft jeg har nu begyndt en Figur i Marmor forestillende Adonis naturlig størrelse for Kongen af Bajren, ligeledes Arbejder jeg ogsaa paa de opgivne Medaillioner til vor Kongelige Slot. Efter Deres Excellenzes venskabelige Brev smigre jeg mig med de ønskeligste Udsigter til behagelig at være sysselsat. Men da jeg ingen Formue ejer, og det lidet jeg har erværvet mig ved mine Arbejder har [jeg] anvendt til det nødvendige i mine Værkstæder, kiøbt endel smukke Marmor Blokke, samt udført for egen Regning nogle Figurer, hvilke, jeg beder Deres Excellence foreslaae den Høye Kommission for Slottets Bygning; De vil see af medfølgende Brev til Komissionen hvad Omnævnte Figurer forestiller og erfare: at hosføyede Priser ere billige. Thi kan jeg forsikre Deres Excellence at jeg aldrig forlanger at blive riig; men blot den søde Beroligelse at være i en utrængende Forfatning for desto bedere at nyde den Lyksalighed at vandre frem paa Konstens Bane medens jeg føler Kraft og Drift til Konsten – I øvvrigt vil jeg ikke besvære Deres Excellenze med at meddeele Dem en Liste paa mine Arbejder men jeg vil slutte med dette mit bestandige varmeste Ønsker at Deres Excellenze maae i det kiære Fædreneland i det nye Konge Huus med Tilfredshed tage mine Arbejder i Beskuelse, da indtet kan smigre mig mere end at haabe en sand Konstelsker[s] Bifald, og ingen føler mere, og dybere Deres Værd, end

Deres Excellences

underdanige Tiener
B. Thorvaldsen

[s. 4 i brevet, på trods af hvad Th. skriver til slutning i brevet:]

Fortegnelse paa de Figurer som jeg haver udført i Marmor og dem jeg haver under arbejde

Iason, Høye 3 Alen og 22 tommer Dansk. for Hr Hop
Ganimed
Baccus
Venus
Apollo
}
 
 
 
Høye 2 Al: 2 tom.
for Grevinde Worntzoff

Amor og Psyche
Psyche
Venus
}
 
 
Høye 2 Al 2 Tomm.
som jeg har forreslaaet
Commissionen


Hebe – Høy 2 Al 12 Tomm: for Kammerjunker Bielche
Adonis – Høy 3 Al for Kongen af Bajren

Basrilief. for Baron v Rop -
Brises som bortføres fra Achiles. Høy 1 Al 11 tom lang 3 al 2 ½ tom
Apollo spiller for Muserne som danser omkring Gratserne

Høy 1 Al 5 tom lang 2 Al 15 t

En Døbesteen: omgivet med fire Basrilief forestillende Johannes som døber Kristus, Marie Kristus og Johannes; Kristus velsigner Børnene; paa den fierde Side en Gruppe af Engler.

for Grevinde Schimelmann ~
Den siste Figur, som jeg haver modellert forestiller
Mars – Høy 4 Al

Oversættelse af dokument

Rome, February 4th 1809

Sir, Your Excellency,

Through our excellent lord von Schubart I have received Your Excellency’s favour of November 28th. As I have never enjoyed the pleasure to write to Your Excellency, I feel the more joy at learning that without request you won’t forget me and following your encouragement I venture to give Your Excellency information not only about my works but also about my financial situation –

You ask what intention I have had with the busts I sent home several years ago; I had no other purpose with these than to show the Academy of Fine Arts what progress I had made at working in marble at the time and if I had succeeded in selling these I should have had some possibility to support my old father, but as time has changed this – I know no better decision about Bernstorff’s bust than the one that has already been made namely to be vouchsafed Your Excellency’s apartment hoping that Your Excellency regards this as a small proof of my gratitude for the careful favour Your Excellency has always vouchsafed med. As the present times are so unfavourable to art I should say nothing but that I have been lucky, lack of work has not yet put me out of action I have now begun a figure in marble representing Adonis life-sized for the King of Bavaria, I work as well at the given medallions for our Royal Palace. After Your Excellency’s kind letter I indulge in the most desirable prospects of being pleasantly occupied. But as I have no fortune, and what little I have acquired by my works I have spent on necessities to my workshop, bought several beautiful marble blocks, as well as executed some figures at my own expense, which I ask Your high Excellency recommend to the High Building Commission for Christiansborg Palace. You will see from the enclosed letter to the Building Commission what the above mentioned figures represent and see that the subjoined prices are low. For I can assure Your Excellency that I never ask to be rich; but merely the sweet comfort to be in a non-poor condition better to enjoy the happiness to wander along the course of art while I feel energy and urge for art – besides I will not trouble Your Excellency by giving you a list of my works but I will finish with this my eternal warmest wishes that Your Excellency in the dear native land in the new Royal House may look at my works with satisfaction as nothing can flatter me more than hoping for the approval of a true art-lover and nobody feels more and more deeply your worth than

Your Excellency’s

Humble servant
B. Thorvaldsen

[p 4 in the letter, in spite of what Thorvaldsen writes at the end of the letter:]
List of the figures which I have executed in marble and the ones I am working at
[1 alen = about 2 feet; 1 tomme = about 1 inch]

Jason, high 3 alen and 22 tommer. Danish. For Mr Hope
Ganymede
Bacchus
Venus
Apollo
}
 
 
 
 
 
high 2 alen 2 tommer
for Countess Worntzoff

Cupid and Psyche
Psyche
Venus
}
 
 
high 2 alen 2 tommer
which I have recommended to the
Building Commission


Hebe – high 2 alen 12 tommer for Mr Bielke, Groom in Waiting
Adonis – high 3 alen for the King of Bavaria

Bas-relief for Baron v Ropp –
Briseis being carried off from Acilles high 1 alen 11 tommer long 3 alen 2½ tommer.
Apollo playing to the Muses who are dancing around the Graces.

High 1 alen 5 tommer long 2 alen 15 tommer

A font: surrounded with four bas-reliefs representing John who is baptizing Christ, Mary Christ and John; Christ blesses the children; on the fourth side a group of angles.

For Countess Schimmelmann ~
The latest figure which I have modelled represents Mars – high 4 alen.

[Translated by Karen Husum]

General Comment

Til dette brev findes der et større udkast skrevet af C.F. Høyer og tre mindre udkast alle skrevet af Thorvaldsen: To brudstykker til brevets begyndelse på et tegneark, C15r, og to næsten identiske – det ene og det andet – til en passage nær brevets slutning.

Document Type

Færdigt egenhændigt dokument

Archival Reference

m28, nr. 8

Last updated 11.11.2014