No. 16 of 10319
Sender Date Recipient
Bertel Thorvaldsen [+]

Sender’s Location

København

 2.11.1795 [+]

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet

 Kunstakademiet, København [+]

Recipient’s Location

København

Information on recipient

Udskrift: Til det Kongelige Maler Billedhugger og Bygnings Acadamie
Abstract

Thorvaldsen’s application for the travelling scholarship of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.
[Translation]

Underdanigst Pro Memoria.

Da ieg ved flere tilfelde er overtydet om, at Det Kongelige Acadamie for Konsterne, ønsker mit Vel og min Fremgang i den Deel af Konsten ieg hidtil har dyrket under dets Veyledning, fordrister ieg mig med saamegen mere Frimodighed til at ansøge om at erholde det første ledige Reise Stipendium for om mueligt en gang i tiden at kunde overtyde Publicum om at den understøttelse Academiet hidtil har forundt mig icke er falden paa en aldeles uværdig.
Skulde Academiet accordere mig denne min Begiæring, ønsker ieg meget, icke allene for mine Øconomiske men og for andre indtrufne omstændigheders skyld, at erfare naar ieg kunde giøre mig Haab om at tiltræde min Reise, da ieg imidlertiid henlever med den varmeste Tacknemmelighed
Kiøbenhavn d 2. Novb. 1795.

Det Kongelige Acadamiets
underdanigste Tiener
Bertel Thorvaldsen

General Comment

According to Thiele I, p. 43-44, Thorvaldsen was not altogether willing to go abroad, but, under pressure from Abildgaard and others, he sent in this application for the triennial travelling scholarship of the Academy of Fine Arts.
The journal of the Academy of Fine Arts of 2.11.1795 (The Danish National Archives, Kunstakademiets arkiv, Akademiforsamlingen, Dagbog) reads: “Concerning the application of the sculptor and medallist Thorvaldsen to be awarded the first available travelling scholarship, it was resolved: That as a travelling scholarship in the Academy will inevitably fall vacant next year, 1796, the student Thorvaldsen may be assured thereof and prepare himself for his journey abroad.”
The grant of 400 rix-dollars a year was thus approved on the same date as the application. Thorvaldsen would be able to leave when the present holder of the scholarship, the medallist Peter Leonhard Gianelli, returned some time in 1796.

Archival Reference
Rigsarkivet, Kunstakademiets arkiv, Akademiforsamlingen, journalsager, 1795, II, nr. 11b.
Document Type
Document, autograph
Thiele
Gengivet hos Thiele I, p. 45.
Subjects
Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Travelling Grant
Last updated 09.02.2016 Print