Comment on Presumably 26.6.1828

From the beginning, Christ, cf. A82, was meant to be executed in marble (see letter from Building Commission for Christiansborg Palace to Thorvaldsen dated 24.11.1829). Thorvaldsen did not decide until probably 1831-1832 to have the statues of the Apostles (A86-A104) executed in marble at his own expense because he did not like the idea that they were to exist only in plaster (cf. Thiele III, p. 463-464, see also letter from Building Commission for the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen to Thorvaldsen dated 21.2.1832). The marble versions, however, were bought from Thorvaldsen 16.10.1838 – shortly after his return to Denmark – by the University for the Church of Our Lady (see the related article Commission for the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen). Bissen may be referring to these considerations in his remark about Christ’s loneliness.

Last updated 30.10.2017