Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Kirkebygningskommissionen
København
Udskrift: A Monsieur Monsieur le Chevalier Hansen, conseiller de conference de sa Majesté le Roi de Dannemarc et son premier architecte Copenhagen par Hambourg / fr. front. Tapal
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.
| Til | Rom d. 5 Februar 1829 |
den høie Kongel. Comission
for Frue- Kirk[e]s Gjenopgyggelse
Jeg har havd den Ære, at faae to Breve fra den høie Comission. At jeg ikke har svaret straks paa det første, har Aarsagen været, at jeg vilde lade afforme Døbefundten, for at kunde sige, at samme var indpakket og stod færdig, for at sendes til Kjøbenhavn. Jeg troede, at den kunde komme til rette Tid, for at indtage saa længe Pladsen, som er bestemt for Marmoren. Imedens jeg var i Begreb, at melde det til den høie Comission, fik jeg Deres anden Brev, hvori De skriver mig den nye Beslutning, CandelabrerneI angaaende. I Anledning deraf har jeg derfor straks skrevet til Carrara, at man ikke skulde fortsætte Arbeidet. De kunde for længe siden have været færdig, men jeg har med flid ikke bedrevet det med saa megen Hast, thi jeg troede, at de vilde komme til rette Tid, naar de kom tilligemed Christusfiguren i Marmor.
At Apostlerne ikke passer til Nicherne, kan jeg ikke begribe; thi Hovedet staaer i Centrumet af Cirklerne i Nicherne, som De har havd den Godhed at oversende mig, saa at Maalet ikke maae være rigtigt. Jeg troer det om saa mere, da ogsaa Freund har feilet med sin Thaddeo, som er af samme Størrelse med mine Apostler. Men det fornøier mig, at denne Forandring er nu blevet nødvendig, som er ubetvivlig er fordeelagtig, at man seer figurerne fra alle Sider, som ved Ansigter af flere Punkter udgjør en betydeligere Dekoration for Kirken. – Hvad Frontespidset angaaer, saa har jeg ikke videre Efterretning derom, end at en Konstner i Frankrig har forlangt for enhver Figur omtrent 2000 Frank. En anden, som var selv her i Rom, og hvis Navn er Soyer, forlangde for det Hele 64000 Frank. Jeg troer endog, at det vilde forminske Prisen meget, at Figurerne kan støbes i flere Stykker og meget tyndt, hvad ogsaa i et andet Hensyn vilde være fordeelagtig for Gesimsen. De behøver heller ikke at overarbeides, da Modellerne ere saa vel udarbeidede, at om de vare ogsaa kuns halv saa vel udarbeided, saa vilde de endog gjøre deres fulde Effekt saa langt fra Øiet, og kunde derved opnaae Hensigten, at pryde en Kirke, som fortjener det saa meget. Naar det var mueligt, saa kunde vel den Danske Minister i Paris have den Godhed, at bedrive Sagen videre, som vilde nok lade sig gjøre, da ogsaa AbrahamsonII har skrevet fra Paris, at Soyer havde spurgt ham om der ikke blev noget af Sagen. Skulde De foretrække, at lade dem støbe af Dalhoff, saa kunde Modellerne blive sendt til Kjøbenhavn.
Christusfiguren er færdig, saa at jeg kuns har nødig, at lægge den sidste Haand paa, som jeg agter at gjøre i Sommer. Paa Frisen bliver arbeided med alle Kræfter. – Jeg beder endnu, at Hr. Conferenzraad Hansen har den Godhed, at sende mig et bestemt Maal af Nicherne for Profeterne, som skal staae i Fruekirkens Portal.
Imedens jeg benytter denne Leilighed, for at bevidne den høie Comission min personlige Høiagtelse og Hengivenhed, undertegner jeg mig
underdaniste Tiener
Albert Thorvaldsen
| To | Rome, February 5th 1829 |
To the high Royal Commission
for the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen
I have had to honour to receive two letters from the high Commission. The reason why I have not answered the first one immediately is that I wanted to take a cast of the baptismal font to be able to say that the same had been packed up and was ready to be sent to Copenhagen. I thought it would arrive on time in the meanwhile to occupy the space, which has been decided for the marble. While I was about to inform the high Commission of this I received your second letter in which you write the new decision regarding the Candelabra. Because of this, I have immediately written to Carrara not to continue the work. They could have been ready long ago but I have taken pains not to hasten it, as I thought they would arrive on time, when they came together with the figure of Christ in marble.
I cannot understand that the Apostles do not fit the niches; for the head is in the centre of the circles in the niches, which you have been so kind to send me, so the measure must be incorrect. I think so, the more so as Freund has also made a mistake with his Thaddeo, which is the same size as my Apostles. However, it pleases me that this change has become necessary, it is doubtless advantageous to see the figures from all sides, which by faces of several points constitute a more considerable decoration to the church. – As regards the pediment, I have no further information about it, but that an artist in France has demanded about 2000 Francs for each figure. Another one, who himself was here in Rome and whose name is Soyer, demanded 64000 Francs for all of it. I even think that it will lessen the price considerably that the figures can be cast in several pieces and very thinly, which in another aspect will turn out to be an advantage for the cornice. Neither do they need a finish as the models are so well worked out that even if they were only half as well worked out they would create their full effect so far from the eye, and so could gain the purpose to ornament a church, which deserves it so much. When it was possible, the Danish minister in Paris might be so kind as to further the case, which would surely be possible, as Abrahamson as well has written from Paris that Soyer has asked him if nothing came of the matter. If you would prefer to have them cast by Dalhoff, the models might be sent to Copenhagen.
The figure of Christ is ready so that I only need to apply the finishing touches, which I intend to do this summer. Assistants are working at the Frieze with a will. – I once more ask that konferensråd Hansen will be so kind as to send me an exact measure of the niches for the prophets, which are to stand in the portal of the Church of Our Lady.
Making use of this possibility to express my personal respect to the high Commission I sincerely am
Your obedient servant,
Albert Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
C.H. Lorenzen
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Kristus, Antagelig november 1821 - Senest januar 1822, inv.nr. A82 |
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Kandelaber, inv.nr. D828 |
Last updated 18.08.2018
Thorvaldsen havde modtaget bestilling på to kandelabre i marmor. Disse skulle flankere Kristus-figuren. Det blev dog ikke Thorvaldsen, men i stedet den tyske arkitekt G.F. Hetsch, der i samarbejde med den danske bronzestøber Jørgen Dalhoff, 1828 udførte, ikke to, men fire store kandelabre i bronze til alteret i Vor Frue Kirke, jf. D828.
Dette er en fejl for den danske forfatter og notarius publicus N.C.L. Abrahams.
Thiele III, p. 361, skriver da også Abrahams i stedet for Abrahamson.
Hans brev fra Paris, der nævnes i det følgende, er dateret November 1827.