Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Slotsbygningskommissionen
København
Tilskrift: Til Den høie Commission for Christiansborg Slots Opbygning
Udskrift: Til den Høie Commission for Christianborg Slot Opbygning a Copenhague par Germania
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
Thorvaldsen writes which works will be ready to be sent to Denmark in the spring of 1827.
Rom d. 4d Febr 1827
Den høie Commissions meget ærede Skrivelse af 22 NovI har jeg med Fornøielse modtaget, og jeg deraf seer, at det har behaget Hans Majestæt KongenII allernaadigst til Foraaret at udsende en FregatIII for i Livorno at afhende de af mig fuldendte, og for Christiansborgs SlotIV og for Frue KirkeV bestemte Arbeider.
Jeg skal benytte denne skiønne leilighed saa godt som muligt; De færdige Arbeider, der fra Rom kunne afsendes ere følgende: Til Christiansborg Slot de tvende Cariatider i MarmorVI, bestemte til Trongemakket, Deres Kongelige Høiheder Prinds ChristiansVII, og hans GemalindesVIII BusterIX, ligeledes i Marmor; til Frue Kirke ChristusX og de tolv ApostlerXI i Gibs. Endelig medfølger en DøbefongXII af Marmor for en Kirke i IslandXIII, hvilken jeg maa bede om Tilladelse at maatte afsende med denne Leilighed. Disse benævnte Arbeider kunne være indpakkede, og færdige til afsendelse herfra om to Maaneder.
Jeg forbliver med sand Høiagtelse den høie Commissions
underdanigste Tiener
Albert Thorvaldsen
[kommissionssekretærens notat:] Thorvaldsen og UlrichXIV tilskr. 22 May 1827
Rome, February 4th 1827
I have received with pleasure the high Commission’s favour of November 22nd, and I see from this that His Majesty has been graciously pleased to send a frigat in spring to fetch at Leghorn the works finished by me for Christiansborg Palace and for the Church of Our Lady bestemte Arbeider.
I shall make the best possible use of this perfect opportunity; the finished works which might be sent from Rome are the following: For Christiansborg Palace the two Caryatids in marble, intended for the throne chamber, the Royal Highnesses Prince Christian’s and his wife’s busts, also in marble; for the Church of Our Lady Christ and the twelve Apostles in plaster. Finally there is also a baptismal font in marble for a church in Iceland, which I must ask permission to send off on this occasion. These mentioned works might be packed up and ready to be sent off from here in two months.
I remain truly and respectfully the High Commission’s
Most humble servant
Albert Thorvaldsen
[the note of the secretary of the Commission:]
written to Thorvaldsen and Ulrich May 22nd 1827
[Translated by Karen Husum]
There are three drafts of this letter: The first and the second are written by Thorvaldsen, while the third has been written by an unknown copyist.
See also the related article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1828 for a detailed list of the works which were included in the shipment and other facts concerning the transportation.
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Jakob den Ældre, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A98 |
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Karyatide, 1813, inv.nr. A55 |
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Kristus, Antagelig november 1821 - Senest januar 1822, inv.nr. A82 |
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Peter, Antagelig 19. marts 1821 - juni 1821, inv.nr. A86 |
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Matthæus, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A87 |
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Johannes, Primo 1824 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A89 |
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Jakob den Yngre, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A91 |
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Philip, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A93 |
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Thomas, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A96 |
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Bartholomæus, 2. august 1823 - 21. december 1823, inv.nr. A99 |
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Simon Zelotes, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A101 |
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Karyatide, 1813, inv.nr. A56 |
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Paulus, Antagelig 19. marts 1821 - juni 1821, inv.nr. A103 |
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Andreas, 1. marts 1842, inv.nr. A108 |
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Christian (8.) Frederik, Antagelig 7. januar 1821 - Antagelig 13. januar 1821, inv.nr. A753 |
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Judas Thaddæus, Ca. 28. marts 1842 - 10. april 1842, inv.nr. A105 |
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Caroline Amalie, Tidligst 30. december 1820 - 1821, inv.nr. A754 |
Last updated 14.11.2016
Cf. letter dated 22.11.1826 from The Building Commission for Christiansborg Palace to Thorvaldsen.
I.e. Frederik 6.
It was not, however, the frigate mentioned in the letter (the Minerva), which brought Thorvaldsen’s works to Denmark in the spring of 1827, but the Danish merchant vessel the Therese, which was going to Tunesia with a so-called “tributary payment” to Bey Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud, read more about this in the related articles Barbary States and Thorvaldsen and Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1828.
Cf. the related article Commission for Christiansborg.
Cf. the related article Commission for the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen.
Thorvaldsen’s Caryatids, 1813. The marble versions for the throne room of Christiansborg Palace were destroyed in the fire of 1884, see instead the plaster casts A55 and A56.
Read more about the caryatids in the related articles Thorvaldsen’s Relations with Poland and Commission for Christiansborg.
The Danish Crown Prince Christian (8.) Frederik.
I.e. Caroline Amalie.
I.e. Caroline Amalie, marble version, cf. A754 and Christian (8.) Frederik, marble version, cf. A753, see also the related article Commision for the Danish Royal Family.
Christ, plaster cast, cf. A82.
The twelve apostles, cf. Peter, A86, Matthew, A87, John, A89, James the Younger, A91, Philip, A93, Thomas, A96, James the Elder, A98, Bartholomew, A99, Simon the Zealot, A101, Paul, A103, Judas Thaddeus, A105 and Andrew, A108.
I.e. Baptismal Font, 1805-1807, marble version finished not later than 4.2.1827, Reykjavik Cathedral, cf. A555,1.
See also the related article Baptismal Font to Brahetrolleborg Church.
Originally, the gift was meant for the church in the village of Miklabæ, Blönduhlið, Iceland, where Thorvaldsen’s father, Gotskalk Thorvaldsen, was born, and where his grandfather, Thorvaldur Gottskalksson, had been vicar. The baptismal font was placed in Reykjavik Cathedral.
I.e. the Danish consul in Leghorn J.C. Ulrich.