This is a re-publication of the article:
Stig Miss: ‘Report for Thorvaldsens Museum 1994-1996’, in: Meddelelser fra Thorvaldsens Museum (Communications from the Thorvaldsens Museum) p. 1997, p. 189-192.
For a presentation of the article in its original appearance in Danish, please see this facsimile scan.
The report below covers the main activities of the Museum for the period concerned. In addition, Thorvaldsens Museum publishes an annual report in which more detailed information may be found.
The Board of Management of Thorvaldsens Museum consists of seven members, of whom three are chosen by Copenhagen City Council, three by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and one by the Supreme Court.
Tom Ahlberg, Mayor (Chairman, member of the Board of Management until 31.8.94), Erik Heide, sculptor (member of the Board until 23.4.1996), Grethe Henius, head of department, Sys Hindsbo, artist, Jens Johansen, Mayor (Chairman, member of the Board from 1.9.1994), Søren Koch, architect (Vice-Chairman, member of the Board from 24.4.1996), Niels Pontoppidan, President of the Supreme Court, Bent Rud, architect (Vice-Chairman, member of the Board until 23.4.1996). Hans Thomsen, director, Erik Varming, sculptor (member of the Board from 24.4.1996).
The Director of the Museum, Stig Miss, is Secretary to the Board. Anita Jensen, Head of Section, is responsible for the minutes. The following have been chosen as staff observere on the Board: Kirsten Hauch, Conservation technician (until 31.11.1994), Anni Olsen, accounts officer (from 1.12.1994 to 31.12.1996).
DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM: Stig Miss (Torben Melander, assistant keeper, was Acting Director from 1.4. to 31.10.1995).
ASSISTANT KEEPERS: Eva Henschen, Bjarne Jørnæs (to 8.5.1995), Margrethe Floryan (from 15.2.1995, but on leave from 1.7.1996), Torben Melander, Thomas Kappel (temporary assistant keeper 1.4. to 31.12.1995). Gertrud With (acting assistant keeper from 2.7.1996).
HEAD OF SECTION: Anita Gran Jensen
SECURITY OFFICER: Ole Taudahl Nielsen
DEPUTY SECURITY OFFICER: Lene Rolfsen
ACCOUNTS OFFICER: Anni Olsen
CLERICAL ASSISTANT: Marianne Schrøder (to 31.7-1995)
MUSEUM TECHNICIAN: Johnny Petersen (on leave from 1.9.1996)
MUSEUM ASSISTANT: Johannes Bjerrum
CONSERVATORS: Kirsten Hauch (paper, to 31.11.1994 and again from 1.10.1996), Søren Rasmussen (sculpture).
CLEANING STAFF: Lena Bruun, Jette Christensen (from 1.1.1995), Lars Olsen (from 1.9. to 23.11.1994), Birgitte Sværke Pedersen (to 28.2.1994), Linda Petersen (from 1.3. to 2.8.1994), Inger-Lise Werge (to 30.11.1994), Solveig Wulff.
MUSEUM ATTENDANTS (full-time): Benny Christensen, Inger Jensen (to 30.6.1995), Merete Larsen (on leave from 1.5 to 31.8.1995), Jørgen Madsen, Jørn Nissen, Bente Olesen, Erik Schiøtt and René Evensen (from 1.5.1995 to 20.9.1996);
(part-time appointments and deputies for attendants): Nanna Schiøler, Kristine Vaaben, Sara Weiss, Henrik Dichmann, Ellen Locher, Ea Lundberg, Kai Olsen, Anders Bruun (from 1.8.1994), Lise Bruun Hansen (to 15.8.1994), Kristian Marott (from 5.9. to 17.10.1994), Marie Ørstedholm, Bettina Serup (from 9.6.1995 to 27.1.1996), Per Østergaard (from 12.6.1995), Bodil Nielsen (to 13.6.1994), Margith Larsen (to 8.4.1994 and again from 3.5.1996), Mikael Thejll (to 6.6.1994), René Evensen (from 11.7. to 18.11.1994 and again from 13.2 to 30.4.1995).
STUDENT ASSISTANTS: Jette Aarsø (to 31.3.1995), Thomas Lederballe Petersen (to 30.9.1995), Annette Rosenvold (to 1.11.1994), Penelope Thomas-Escalada (from 18.3.1996), Astrid-Louise Walther (from 8.3.1995) and Britta Tøndborg (from 2.3.1995). Guides: Dorthe Abildgaard (to 17.9.1995), Henning Andersen (from 16.6.1995), Lis Bruselius, Birgitte Elkjær (to 18.6.1996), Rune Frederiksen (from 1.10.1995), Andrea Homann, Thomas Kappel (to 19.6.1994), Rikke Legarth, Anne Højer Petersen, Susanne Petersen (from 10.12.1995), Thomas Lederballe Pedersen, Signe Horst Petersen (to 17.9.1995), Helene Transe Rasmussen, Annette Rosenvold, Elisabeth Simonsen, Astrid-Louise Walther, Gertrud With (to 1.11.1995), Jette Aarsø.
Bjarne Jørnæs, a keeper in the Museum for many years, died 8.5.1995.
ANNIVERSARIES: Inger-Lise Werge, a member of the cleaning staff, celebrated 25 years of service on 24.2.1994, and Eva Henschen celebrated 25 years as keeper on 18.8.1995.
THORVALDSENS KRISTUS - FORARBEJDER OG FORBILLEDER
(Thorvaldsen’s Christ – Studies and Models). This took place in August. The exhibition container! the sketches and studies which Thorvaldsen produced in preparation for the world-famous statue of Christ. In addition, there were some of the pieces inspiring Thorvaldsen and later copies.
NATTEN PÅ THORVALDSENS MUSEUM
(Night at Thorvaldsens Museum). August. The exhibition illustrated themes concerned with night, taking its starting point in Thorvaldsen’s own work and collections.
In the Entrance Hall from 15 to 21 October there was an exhibition of photographs taken by children in refugee camps in Bosnia. The exhibition was produced by Dansk Flygtningehjælp (The Danish Refugee Council).
JOHAN THOMAS LUNDBYE
- AT MALE DET KJÆRE DANMARK
(Johan Thomas Lundbye – Painting Our Beloved Denmark). A comprehensive. exhibition of the work of the Danish Golden Age painter Johan Thomas Lundbye (1818-1848) was arranged from 8.9 to 20.11. This exhibition contained almost 100 of Lundbye’s best paintings and drawings. For the first time in the history of the Museum, the suite of rooms on the north side of the first floor was used for a temporary exhibition, and the entire collection of Thorvaldsen’s paintings, which normally hang in these rooms, was taken down.
BINDESBØLLS MUSEUM
From 5.3 until the end of the year a small exhibition was put on, describing the final result and the hard work of preparation for the building of Thorvaldsens Museum.
FRA OLDTIDENS BEAUTYBOX
(From the Beauty Box of Antiąuity). From 28.3 until the end of the year there was an exhibition in the Museum’s collection of antiques, containing jewellery and cosmetic aids from antiquity.
OVERGANGEN FRA DENNE VERDEN TIL EN ANDEN
(The Transition from this World to Another). The 29.8 saw the opening of an exhibition on the theme of Thorvaldsen’s memorial to the Polish Princess Helena Poninska’s children, completed during the 1830s.
DIALOG MED BINDESBØLL
(Dialogue with Bindesbøll). From 9.9 to 8.10 there was an exhibition in the Entrance Hall to the Museum of woven rugs done by the weaver Puk Lippmann. The design of these rugs was inspired by the mosaic floors in the Museum.
1796 – KØBENHAVN SOM KULTURBY
(Copenhagen as it was in 1796). From 13.3 to 15.8 there was a wide-ranging exhibition which with the help of a number of works of art presented cultural life and art in Copenhagen about 1796. The exhibition was arranged to mark Copenhagen’s being designated European City of Culture 1996.
SKULPTURENS VÆSEN
(The Nature of Sculpture). In all the rooms on the ground floor of Thorvaldsens Museum there was from 19.9 to 18.12 an exhibition of modern Danish sculpture juxtaposed with works by Thorvaldsen.
During the period covered by this Report there have been numerous and varied other events in Thorvaldsens Museum: Guided tours, leetures, musical performances, films, receptions, visits by foreign heads of state, a clay workshop for children and a special illumination of the Museum are merely examples of these. Special mention should be made here of the “Concerts for Thorvaldsen” which were put on in the Entrance Hall to the Museum in connection with the Copenhagen Golden Age festival “Golden Days in Copenhagen” in both autumn 1994 and spring 1996.
THORVALDSEN. EN VIDEOFILM
(Thorvaldsen. A Video Film). Duration 29 mins. Script: Stig Miss. Photography: Peter Klitgaard. Producer: Karen Vad. Filmed in Copenhagen and Rome and at Nysø.
MEDDELELSER FRA THORVALDSENS MUSEUM 1994
(Thorvaldsens Museum. Bulletin 1994). 232 pp. Ill. Edited by Eva Henschen, Bjarne Jørnæs, Torben Melander and Stig Miss. 19 artides by that number of writers concerning aspects of Danish Golden Age art. English summaries.
JOHAN THOMAS LUNDBYE
- AT MALE DET KJÆRE DANMARK
(Johan Thomas Lundbye – Painting Our Beloved Denmark). Catalogne for the exhibition by the same name. 240 pp. Ill. Edited by Eva Henschen, Torben Melander and Stig Miss. English summaries.
THORVALDSEN OG MUSIKKEN
(Thorvaldsen and Music). Compact Disc issued in collaboration with the Golden Days in Copenhagen festival by Danacord Records. Duration 79 mins. Musical arrangements and accompanying text (Danish and English) by the guitarist Ingolf Olsen.
The Museum’s English-language general catalogne was reprinted in an expanded version. 230 pp. Ill. Edited by Bjarne Jørnæs, Anne Sophie Urne, Torben Melander and Eva Henschen on the basis of earlier catalogues.
DIALOG MED BINDESBØLL
(Dialogue with Bindesbøll). Catalogne for the exhibition by the same name. 48 pp. Ill. Edited by Puk Lippmann and Eva Henschen.
1796 – KØBENHAVN SOM KULTURBY
Catalogne for the exhibition by the same name. 136 pp. Ill. Edited by Margrethe Floryan, Thomas Kappel, Torben Melander and Stig Miss.
COPENHAGEN AS IT WAS IN 1796
Identical with the above, but in English.
OMKRING THORVALDSENS CRISTUS.
(On Thorvaldsens Christ). 88 pp. Ill. Edited by Anne-Mette Gravgaard and Eva Henschen. Published in collaboration with Copenhagen Cathedral (Vor Frue Kirke).
SKULPTURENS VÆSEN
(The Nature of Sculpture). 60 pp. Ill. Text and editing by Eva Henschen.
C.W, Eckersberg: Portrait of Bertel Thorvaldsen, 1820. Oil on canvas, 49.7×40 cm. Acquired by the Commission on Export of Cultural Assets and then donated to Thorvaldsens Museum. For a more detailed account see p. 180-181.
Four drawings by Thorvaldsen, Eckersberg (2) and Wilhelm Marstrand respectively, presented to the Museum by a private collector.
From a private collector, the Museum has received the gift of Lorenz Frølich’s 20 etchings illustrating the myth of Cupid and Psyche, published in Paris in 1862.
Bertel Thorvaldsen: Venus, marble. Height 90.6 cm. Bought from a private collector. For a more detailed account see p. 182-183.
Bertel Thorvaldsen: Sepulchral Monument to Princess Helena Poninska’s children. Height 172 cm, width 240 cm. New cast of Thorvaldsen’s relief formerly in the chapel of Czerwonogród Castle, and now in the State Museum in Lwow. Acquired from the museum in the Royal Palace in Warsaw. For a more detailed account see p. 186-187.
Two vases with motifs based on sculptures by Thorvaldsen were presented to the Museum by a private collector.
Joachim Ferdinand Richardt: Two drawings of Bertel Thorvaldsen in Ms Charlottenborg studio. 1840-42. Pencil on paper. 120 X 145 and 105 X 112 cm respectively. Gift from a private collector. For a more detailed account see p. 184-186.
Puk Lippmann: Rug. 1994-1995. Finnish paper yarn on naturai died flax cord. 270 X 270 cm. Gift from Ny Carlsberg Foundation 1996. For a more detailed account see p. 187-188.
Last updated 11.05.2017