No. 132 of 10318
Sender Date Recipient
Bertel Thorvaldsen [+]

Sender’s Location

Rom

30.6.1798 [+]

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Kunstakademiet, København [+]

Recipient’s Location

København

Abstract

Thorvaldsen informs the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts that he has sent two samples of his work, i.e. the marble portrait bust of Tyge Rothe, A225, and the small group Bacchus and Ariadne, A1. He apologizes for the group as he has not been able to finish it as thoroughly as he would have wanted due to illness.
He promises to send new works soon.

[Translation]

Rom d 30e Juni 1798

Underdanigst Pro Memoria

Jeg giver mig den Ære at melde det Kongelige Academie at ieg har modelleret en liden Gruppe forrestillende Bachus og Ariadne, og udført en Buste i Marmor som er Portrædet af Salig Etas-Raad Rothe. ieg har afsent begge Stykker under Adræsen til Her Justice Raad Abildgaard. Hvad Gruppen angaaer forlader ieg mig paa Academiets Godhed som vel undskylde Arbeides Mangler, og ieg troer at være sikker paa at den skulde have bleven bederre og mere udført der som ieg ikke var bleven syg af koldfeber, og Modellen ved den ledlighed havde begynt at falde ned for mig, saa ieg saae mig nødt til at lade den forme som den var.
Jeg skal nu stræbe med al mulig flid snart igen at tilsende det kongelige Academie en prøve af mit Arbeide, haabende den vil udfalde paa en Maade saa den nogenledes kunde fortiene sammes Bifald.

underdanigst
B. Thorvaldsen

General Comment

Regarding receipt of this letter the journal of the Academy of Fine Arts of 30.7.1798 (The Danish National Archives, Kunstakademiets arkiv, Akademiforsamlingen, Dagbog) reads: From the pensioner, sculptor Thorvaldsen a letter was received, dated Rome the 30th of June, in which he reports that he has executed a group in plaster, representing Bacchus and Ariadne, and a bust of Councillor of State Rothe, which he has sent to the address of Counsellor Abildgaard.

Archival Reference
Rigsarkivet, Kunstakademiets arkiv, Akademiforsamlingen, journalsager, 1798, nr. 20.
Document Type
Document, autograph
Thiele
Gengivet hos Thiele I, p. 133.
Subjects
Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Reports For · Portrait Busts, Contemporary Persons · Statues, Classical Mythology · Thorvaldsen's Dilligence · Thorvaldsen's Health · Thorvaldsen's Workshop Practice
Persons
Nicolai Abildgaard · Tyge Rothe
Works
Last updated 17.07.2017 Print