Bertel Thorvaldsen
Charlottenborg
Rødt laksegl med utydeligt motiv.
Comitteen for Oprettelsen af Thorvaldsens Museum
Antagelig København
Udskrift: Til / Comiteen for Opførelsen af / det Thorvaldsenske Museum.
Tilskrift: Til / Comiteen for Opførelsen af / det Thorvaldsenske Museum!
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.
Det har været mig særdeles kiært at erfare, at adskillige af mine Landsmænd, allerede siden nogle Aar, ere traadte i Forening, for at træffe Foranstaltning til, at der her i Staden maatte kunne opføres en Bygning til Opbevaring af de Kunstgienstande, som jeg agter at efterlade mit Fødeland.
Jeg behøver ikke at tilføie, at jeg med levende Interesse seer denne Sags heldige Fremgang imøde, da det er noksom bekiendt, at jeg i de sidstafvigte Aar jævnligen har hidsendt saavel endeel af mine egne Arbeider, som ogsaa forskiellige andre Kunstsager i den Hensigt, at disse i Tiden skulle tilhøre mit vordende Museum.
Men, skiøndt det Meste af dette Museums Bestanddele endnu henstaaer i mine Ateliers i Rom og først Aar efter andet vil blive hidsendt, naar Leiligheder tilbyde sig, saa er det dog for nærværende Tid allerede af Vigtighed, at de hidsendte Sager snarest muligt samles og opbevares i et passende, interimistisk Locale, hvilket jeg haaber vil uden Vanskelighed kunne blive anviist af vedkommende Autoritet, som jeg har haft den Glæde at erfare, at adskillige Værelser paa Christiansborg Slot allerede tidligere dertil ere blevne afbenyttede.
Mit Ønske til den nuværende Comitee for Museets Opførelse er derfor under nærværende Omstændigheder, at den, ved Siden af dens tidligere Virksomhed, ville overtage et midlertidigt Tilsyn med Opbevarelsen af de allerede hidsendte Gienstande, saaledes at den, næstefter at udvirke det Fornødne ihenseende til Localet, ville drage Omsorg for, at Museets herværende Eiendele, for nærværende Tid bestaaende af Statuer og Basrelieffer i Marmor og i Gips, antike Vaser, Bronzer, Malerier, Pragtværker, løse Kobbere, Haandtegninger og Bøger, paa en passende Maade maatte blive opstillee og en nøiagtig Fortegnelse over alt det Afleverede forfattet, for at samtlige Gienstande i Tid maatte kunne overleveres til Museet i god behold.
Da den ærede Comitee har ladet mig indbyde til at deeltage i de fremtidige Møder, under mit Ophold her, vil jeg nærmere finde Leilighed, saavel til at give de fornødne Meddelelser og Oplysninger angaaende dette Anliggende, som ogsaa til at yttre min Mening angaaende den Plans Iværksættelse,
It has pleased me immensely to learn that several of my compatriots got together already some years ago to take steps to erect a building in this city to keep the objects of art which I intend to leave to my native land.
I need not add that I anticipate the success of this matter with vivid interest, as it is well known that during recent years I have often sent here some of my own works as well as various other objects of art intending that these eventually should belong to my future museum.
But even though most of this museum’s elements are still in my studios in Rome and only will be sent here year by year as occasion serves it is already at present important that the things sent hither are collected as soon as possible and kept in a suitable, temporal room. The room I hope will be assigned without difficulty by the proper authority, as I have had the pleasure to learn that several rooms at Christiansborg Palace have already been used for this previously.
My request to the present Committee for the Foundation of Thorvaldsen’s Museum is therefore in the present circumstances, that apart from its earlier undertakings, it will accept a temporary supervision of the keeping of the things already sent hither so that next to obtaining what is necessary as regards the room, it will take care that the present belongings of the museum, for the time being consisting of statues and bas-reliefs in marble and in plaster, antique vases, bronzes, paintings, magnificent works, loose copperplate engravings, drawings, and books will be arranged and a precise list made of all that has been delivered so that all the objects eventually may be safely handed over to the museum.
As the honourable committee has invited me to participate in the future meetings during my stay here I shall get opportunity to give the necessary information regarding this matter as well as also give my opinion regarding the effectuation of this plan,
[Translated by Karen Husum]
NN
Evt. koncipist: Koncipistens navn oplyses ikke.
Last updated 03.04.2017