19.11.1823 - The Thorvaldsens Museum Archives


	No. 3344 of 10319

Sender	Date	Recipient
Bertel Thorvaldsen [+] Sender’s Location Rom	19.11.1823 [+] Dating based on Dateringen fremgår af brevet.	Fonden ad usus publicos [+] Recipient’s Location København
Abstract Thorvaldsen recommends the history painter Andreas Ludvig Koop.

Efter Historienmaler Hr: Koops Forlangende om en Bevidnelse fr[a] min Haand, angaaende hans Flid og Fremgang i afvigte Aar, kan jeg ikke andet, end paa ny give ham et særdeles fordelagtigt Vidnesbyrd. To historiske Compositioner, Christus i Gethsemane og Thors Seier over Jetterne, som Hr: Koop har udført i Aar, vidner om et ualmindeligt talent. Især maa jeg rose Hr: Koops Flid og sande Iver for Kunsten, da han har maattet udarbeide disse Sujetter under meget ugunstige Omstændigheder. Jeg vilde ansee det for et Tab for Kunsten og Fædrelandet, hvis en ung Mand af de beste Forhaabninger, skulde standses paa sin Baane i et Øyeblik, da hans Talent blot behøver Opmuntring for at arbeide frem til sin Udvikling, og jeg tror, at Hr: Koop vilde kunne frembringe noget særdeles, hvis han, ved en allernaadigst Kongelig Understøttelse, kunde sættes i Stand til at fortsætte sine Studier her i Rom.

A. Thorvaldsen

Rom d. 19 Novb 1823

According to historical painter Mr Koop’s request for an expression from my hand regarding his diligence and progress during the past year I cannot but once more give him a rather favourable testimony. Two historical compositions, Christ in Gethsemane and Thor’s Victory over the Giants, which Mr Koop has made this year, give proof of an unusual talent. I must especially praise Mr Koop’s diligence and true zeal for art, as he has had to prepare these themes under very unfavourable circumstances. I should regard it as a loss to art and the native land, if a young man who gives every promise of success were to be stopped in his career at a moment when his talent only needs encouragement to work forward to its development and I think that Mr Koop would be able to produce something excellent if he could be put in a position to continue his studies here in Rome by a most gracious royal support.

A. Thorvaldsen

Rome, November 19th 1823

[Translated by Karen Husum]

General Comment
There is a draft of this letter. There are only minor differences between the draft and the finished letter. There is also a slightly different draft in French.
Archival Reference
Rigsarkivet, Fonden ad usus publicos’ arkiv, journalsager nr. 1193/1822
Document Type	Amanuensis
Document by amanuensis	Hermann Ernst Freund
Thiele
Ikke omtalt hos Thiele.
Subjects
Recommendation by Thorvaldsen · Norse Mythology · Thorvaldsen as Mentor for Other Artists
Persons
Andreas Ludvig Koop

Sender’s Location

Dating based on

Recipient’s Location

Abstract