Payment in installments

For the large majority of his works, Thorvaldsen received payment in installments—most commonly, in two to four installments per commission. The size and dates of these payments were normally specified in contracts between Thorvaldsen and his clients. The installments were to be paid at significant milestones during the production process, which in the case of sculptures—as well as, to a more limited extent, reliefs—often extended over many years.
If a commissioned sculpture had no plaster model, but was to be created from scratch, payment would typically take place in four installments. The first installment would be paid immediately upon receipt of the commission; the second would fall due when the plaster model was complete, and marble was to be purchased; the third would come after the rough carving of the marble by Thorvaldsen’s assistants; and the fourth was to be paid when the artwork was complete.
If a plaster model did exist, then the first stage of the above process was normally unnecessary, and the schedule of payments often consisted of only three installments.
In the case of busts, payment was frequently divided into only two installments: upon receipt of the commission, and at completion.

For Thorvaldsen, the purpose of dividing payments into installments was both to raise funds to cover the costs associated with initiating a project—for example, purchasing marble, or paying wages to his assistants—and to insure himself against a commission’s sudden cancellation. As Thorvaldsen himself explained the policy:
“When a sculptor receives a commission, he incurs costs for which the advance payment provides insurance, should he be involved with irresponsible personages who might forget to pay after leaving Rome, and so leave the artist in the lurch … as I have occasionally experienced myself …” Cf. his letter dated 5.1.1841.

On the actual prices of Thorvaldsen’s works, please see the Related Article on the subject.
On the principles used by Thorvaldsen to arrive at particular prices for his own works, please see the Related Article on the subject.

Below are examples of how Thorvaldsen organized the schedules of installment payments for his commissions, both for different types of artworks and at different points in his career.

Year	Work	Price	Number of Installments	Notes	Sources
1803	Jason, A822	600 Roman sequins = 1320 scudi	4 installments	1st installment, 330 scudi: upon completion of the plaster model 2nd installment, 330 scudi: after the arrival of the marble block in Rome 3rd installment, 330 scudi: after rough carving of the marble block 4th installment, 330 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated ca. 21.3.1803
1804- 1810	Ropp’s commission	1420 scudi	presumably 3 installments	1st installment, presumably 450 scudi: presumably upon commission 2nd installment, presumably 450 scudi: date unknown 3rd installment, 520 scudi: upon completion	List dated 30.12.1810
1806	Hebe, cf. A37	600 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 200 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 200 scudi: six months later 3rd installment, 200 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 26.5.1806
1807	Henrik Hielmstierne, cf. A210	200 scudi	2 installments	1st installment, 100 scudi: immediately upon receipt of the commission 2nd installment, 100 scudi: upon completion	Letter dated 20.5.1807
1809	Cupid Holding a Butterfly	800 scudi	4 installments	1st installment, 200 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 200 scudi: upon completion of the original model 3rd installment, 200 scudi: after rough carving of the marble block 4th installment, 200 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 20.8.1809
1811	Monument to Auguste Böhmer, A701, A702, A703	At least 150 carolins = ca. 600 scudi	3-4 installment	1st installment, 40 carolins = ca. 160-168 scudi: presumably upon commission 2nd installment, 50-60 carolins: six months later 3rd installment, 50 carolins: upon completion 4th installment, remainder: unknown	Letter dated 18.8.1811 Letter dated 25.2.1812 Letter dated 24.9.1814
1812	Caryatid, cf. A55, and Caryatid, cf. A56, plus plinths, etc.	2000 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 600 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 800 scudi: when the work was half-complete 3rd installment, 600 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 23.12.1812
1813	Monument to Johann Philipp Bethmann-Holweg, A615,1, A615,2, and A615,3	900 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 300 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 300 scudi: upon completion of the original models 3rd installment, 300 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 25.5.1813
1817-18	Józef Poniatowski,, cf. A123	12000 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 4000 scudi: upon signing the contract 2nd installment, 4000 scudi: upon completion of the clay model 3rd installment, 4000 scudi: upon Thorvaldsen’s arrival in Warsaw for the equestrian statue’s installation	Contract dated 8.7.1818 Letter dated 15.12.1817
1818	Christ Assigns the Leadership of the Church to Saint Peter, jf. A565	1100 ”in moneta d’Oro, ed’Argento” [in coins of gold and silver]	3 installments	1st installment, amount unknown: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, amount unknown: when the work was well advanced 3rd installment, amount unknown: upon completion	Contract dated 15.12.1818
1818	Maria Fjodorovna Barjatinskaja, A171	3000 scudi	2 installments	1st installment, 1000 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 2000 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 4.8.1818
1820	Nicolaus Copernicus, cf. A113	2000 ”ducats hollandois” [ducats of the Netherlands]	2 installments	1st installment, 666 ducats and 12 ”florins de Pologne” [Polish florins]: immediately upon commission 2nd rate, 1333 ducats and 6 Polish florins: upon delivery of the plaster model to Warsaw	Contract dated 30.9.1820
1825	Monument to the Duke of Leuchtenberg, Eugène de Beauharnais, cf. A156	16000 ”Piastre Romane” [Roman piasters]	3 installments	1st installment, 2000 piasters: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 6000 piasters: upon completion of plaster models of the entire monument 3rd installment, 8000 piastre: upon completion	Contract dated 8.2.1825
1831	Maximilian 1., cf. A128	9000 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 3000 scudi: upon completion of the plaster model of the horse 2nd installment, 3000 scudi: upon completion of the plaster model of the equestrian figure 3rd installment, 3000 scudi: upon completion and delivery	Contract dated 27.2.1830
1835	Monument to the two Poninski children, cf. A616	2000 scudi	3 installments	1st installment, 500 scudi: immediately upon commission 2nd installment, 750 scudi: when the work was half-complete 3rd installment, 750 scudi: upon completion	Contract dated 27.4.1835

Last updated 14.10.2016