24.1.1818

Sender

C.F. Høyer

Sender’s Location

København

Recipient

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Recipient’s Location

Rom

Information on recipient

Udskrift: Al Signore Signor Cavalier Alberto Thorvaldsen / celebre scultore danese / Strada Felice No 50: / Roma

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Abstract

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

Document

Kiøbenhavn d. 24d Ian. 1818.

Min kiære gode T: At De nu og da erindrer sig mig tviler ieg ikke om, men at De saa ofte erindrer sig mig som ieg tænkker paa Dem er ikke sandsynlig; Thi Deres Stilling er den Samme men min ikke, ieg har ikke vundet ved at forlade Rom men De har vundet ved at forblive der. At ieg ville vinde ved Deres Hiemkomst der om er ingen Tvivl, men vilde ieg overtale Dem dertil da var ieg ikke Deres Ven. Hr Frünt en haabefuld ung Kunstner og et honet tænkende M[en]niske, som nylig blev tilkiændt Academiets før[ste] Guldpremie, var hos mig Aftenen førend hans Afreise. Jeg betrode ham flere Ting om min Stilling her og om hvad her er at haabe paa det at han mundtlig kunde meddeele Dem Ting, ieg ikke vil betro Papiret. De erindrer sig at Abildgaard skrev til mig kort før han døde “Naar De en gang kommer hiem, da lad Dem for al ting ikke mærke med at De er Dansk i fald De vil giøre Lykke i Deres Fædreneland;[”]
Var det ikke at ieg havde flere uforsørge Søstre hvis Vel ligger mig om Hierte, da havde ieg forlængesiden taget den Beslutning som ieg skylder mig selv, og hvorfore skulle ieg ikke vove at rejse igien til Rom? mine Fornødenheder ere ikke mange og Nødvendighed har lært mig Economie. Saalænge ieg har været hiemme har man opholdet mig med Løfter – fremdeles at taale alt har ieg ikke i Sinde, Jeg har taalt mere end moske, end hver anden i mit Sted ville have taalt, thi uagtet ieg af Naturen er pationeret, er ieg tillige frytsom for at giøre Ondt værre. Naar ieg arbeider glemmer ieg Verden og at ieg arbeider maa enhver billige, som tænker billig. Jeg sætter mere Pris paa at agte mig selv end at agtes af andre, og begriber derfore ret vel, hvorfore at Skiæbnen viiser sig mere gunstig mod andre end mod mig. Da ieg elsker Kunsten høyere end mig selv – glæder intet mig mere end at høre at det gaar dulige Kunstnere vel, og anseer ieg derfore som en behagelig Nydelse, hver gang ieg hører fra Rom: at De min kiære Thorvaldsen lever vel stedse beskiæftiges, hædres og agtes. Da ieg i flere Aar har kjendt Dem baade som Kunstner og Menniske, har ieg Ræt til at sætte Pris paa Deres Værd og føler mig lykkelig ved at smigre mig af Deres Venskab. Deres inderlige hengivne

C.F. Høyer.

Oversættelse af dokument

Copenhagen, January 24th 1818

My dear, kind T: I do not doubt that now and then you remember me, but it is not likely that you remember me as often as I think of you; For your position is the same whereas mine is not, I have not gained by leaving Rome whereas you have gained by staying there. No doubt I should gain by your return, but if I would persuade you to it, then I should not be your friend. Mr Frünt a promising young artist and an honourable person who was recently awarded the first gold medal of the Academy, visited me the evening before his departure. In confidence I told him several things about my position here and about what may be hoped from it so that he could tell you things verbally I will not confide in writing. You will remember that Abildgaard wrote to me shortly before he died “Once you return home do not on any account show that you are Danish if you want to be successful in your native country.”
If I did not have several sisters who are not provided for, whose wellbeing I feel very deeply about then I should long ago have taken the decision which I owe myself, and why should I not again venture to go to Rome? My requirements are few and necessity has taught me economy. As long as I have been at home my time has been wasted with promises – I have no intention of putting up with everything any longer, I have endured more than perhaps any other person in my place would have endured, for although by nature I am passionate, I am also afraid to make matters worse. When I work I forget the world and that I work, anybody must approve of who thinks fairly. Respecting myself I value more than being respected by others, and so I well understand why fate proves more kind to others than to me. As I love art more than I love myself – nothing pleases me more than hearing that competent artists are successful, and I consider it a nice pleasure whenever I hear from Rome: that you my dear Thorvaldsen are well and always occupied, honoured and esteemed. As for several years I have known you as an artist as well as a person I am right to appreciate your worth and feel happy to be able to flatter myself with your friendship.

Yours affectionately,
C.F. Høyer.

Archival Reference

m5 1818, nr. 8

Last updated 28.05.2019