Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Christian 8.
København
Udskrift: Til Hans Kongelige Højhed Prinds Christian Frederik til Danmark
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
Thorvaldsen relates news of the busts of Frederik 6., A859, Marie Sophie Frederikke, A192, Vilhelmine A194, Caroline, A193, Christian (8.) Frederik, cf. A753, Caroline Amalie, cf. A716, and Frederik (7.), A199. In addition, he warmly recommends his assistant Hermann Ernst Freund.
Rom den 29de April 1823
Naadige Prinds!
Forlængst burde jeg have bevidnet Deres Kongelige Høyhed min underdanigste Taknemlighed for flere naadige Skrivelser og min hjærteligste Lykønskning til Deres og Høje Gemalindes Tilbagekomst til Fædrenelandet – men jeg tør stole paa Deres Kongelige Højheds overbærende Tilgivelse – De veed at jeg ikkun er en temmelig langsom og forsømmelig Correspondent, og De er overbeviist, ogsaa uden Bevidnelse, om min underdanigst Hengivenhed for Dem selv, naade Herre, og Deres Høje Familie
Det glæder mig at erfare at det Skib som medbringer Modellerne, som jeg i Kjøbenhavn forfærdiget, af den Kongelige Families Byster, omsider er ankommet til Napoli. De Bemærkninger som Deres Kongelige Højhed anførte i et af Deres seneste Breve til Herre Professor Brøndsted og som han har meddelt mig angaaende Prindsesse Velhelmines Byste, skal jeg ved udførelsen omhyggelig beagte. – Jeg befinder mig vel og mine Arbejder gaae godt fra Haanden. Et besynderligt Tilfælde som nærved kunde blevet dødeligt, har ikke havt den mindste skadelige Indflydelse paa mit Helbred; ogsaa det saar som Kuglen gav mig paa Fingeren af venstre Haand er nu lægt og jeg kan igien bruge Haanden næsten som tilforen.
Mere end enhver anden sag vilde jeg tage mig den Frihed at anbefale Deres Kongelige Højhed min Ven og Medarbejder Freundts Anliggender. Han har gjort saa betydelige Fremskridt i alle Dele af den svære Konst vi udøver; og er i det Hele et saa opvakt og fortreffeligt Menneske at jeg ikke gjør mere end min Pligt i det jeg paa det Hjerteligste anbefaler ham selv og hans udmærkede Talent til Deres Kongelig Højheds naadigste Velvillie. Hans Mercur er en meget smuk, en i alle Henseende vel lykket Figur; Udførelsen af Deres Højheders Byster i Marmor lykkedes ham til min fuldkomneste Tilfredshed, og den Figur Han nu Arbejder paa, en af Evangelisterne, lover at blive lige saa fortrinlig i sin slags som Mercuren; denne sidste vilde jeg langt hellere anbefale til udførelse i Marmor end den tidligere Eurydice. Deres Kongelige Højhed vil sandelig ikke fortryde det hvis De forunder Freundt understyttelse til at kunne fuldende den i Marmor
Min underdanigste Hilsen bedes formeldt Deres Høje Gemalinde. Med de allerbedste Ønsker for Dem selv og Høje Familie er jeg stedse, naadige Herre,
Deres underdanigst Tjener
Albert Thorvaldsen
Rome, April 29th 1823
Gracious Prince,
Long ago I should have expressed to Your Royal Highness my most humble gratitude for several gracious favours as well as my heartfelt congratulations on your and your high consort’s return to the native land – but I dare count on Your Royal Highness’ tolerant forgiveness – you know that I am but a rather slow and negligent correspondent, and even without expression, you are convinced of my most humble devotion to yourself, gracious Sir, and your high family.
I am pleased to learn that the ship carrying the models which I executed in Copenhagen of the busts of the royal family eventually has arrived at Naples. At the execution I shall pay careful attention to the comments which Your Royal Highness gave in one of your latest letters to professor Brøndsted and which he has told me regarding princess Vilhelmine’s bust.- I am well and my works get off well from my hands. A strange incidence which nearly might have been fatal has not had the least harmful influence on my health; even the wound has healed which I received from the bullet on the finger of my left hand and I can use the hand again almost as before.
More than in any other case I should take the liberty to recommend to Your Royal Highness my friend and assistant Freund’s matters. He has made considerable progress in all parts of the difficult art we carry out; and on the whole he is so bright and excellent a person that I merely do my duty when I most sincerely recommend him and his superior talent to the most gracious favour of Your Royal Highness. His Mercury is a very beautiful, an in all respects good figure; the execution of the busts of your highnesses was successful to my full satisfaction, and the figure he is now working at, one of the evangelists, promises to become just as perfect of its kind as the Mercury; the latter mentioned I should rather more recommend to be executed in marble than the former Eurydice. Your Royal Highness shall certainly not regret if you grant Freund support to be able to finish it in marble.
I ask my most humble regards conveyed to your high consort. With the very best wishes for yourself and the high family I am forever, gracious Sir,
Your most humble servant,
Albert Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
There exists a far more detailed draft of this letter, at the end of which Thorvaldsen elaborates on his recommendation of Freund. This expanded recommendation has been deleted in this final version of the letter.
For comments on this letter, see the more detailed draft.
|
|
Christian (8.) Frederik, Antagelig 7. januar 1821 - Antagelig 13. januar 1821, inv.nr. A753 |
|
|
Caroline Amalie, 28. december 1820 - 30. december 1820, inv.nr. A716 |
|
|
Frederik 6., 1823 - Senest 10. maj 1825, inv.nr. A859 |
|
|
Vilhelmine Marie, Tidligst 12. november 1819 - Senest 8. januar 1820, inv.nr. A194 |
|
|
Frederik (7.), Antagelig januar 1819 - Antagelig februar 1820, inv.nr. A199 |
|
|
Marie Sophie Frederikke, Tidligst 12. november 1819 - Senest 8. januar 1820, inv.nr. A192 |
|
|
Caroline, Tidligst 12. november 1819 - Senest 8. januar 1820, inv.nr. A193 |
Last updated 31.10.2016