Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Johan Gunder Adler
København
Udskrift: A Monsieur le Chevalier Adler Conseiller de Justice, secretaire de S.A.R. le Prince Chretien FredericI de Danemarc a Copenhague par Hambourg.
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
Thorvaldsen announces that he now needs some of the 9000 Roman scudi which Christian (8.) Frederik has borrowed from him.
Rom den 9de Maj 1829
Høistæred Herr Justisraad Adler.
Jeg tager mig den friedhed at tilskrive Dem Gode Ven, for at lade Dem hvide at jeg nu maae giøre Brug af di 9000 ScudiII, som H.K. Hiøhed Prinds ChristianIII, har været saa God at bevare for migIV, og som jeg den 9’ Decbr 1826V har meldet dens Opsigelse. Efter Deres Skrivelse af 17’ Martz 1827VI vil jeg aldeles opfylde Deres Mening, at hvergang jeg vil hæve nogen Sum paa Huset TorloniaVII, giver jeg hamVIII en Maaned iforveien Varsel, og ved udbetalingen lader jeg hamIX den afskriveX paa ObligationenXI, og naar den hele paalydende Summa er betalt skal den blive Dem tilsendet forsynet med min QvitteringXII. –
De mange ArbeiderXIII som jeg lader forfærdige i marmor her i RomXIV og CararraXV paa min Bekosning, giør at jeg er nødtil for at bestride samme maa indrage benevnte Summa.
Jeg beder underdanigste helsed Deres K. HiøfaderXVI, og beder Dem at vedligeholde mig i Deres venskablige Erindring hvormed jeg forbliver med Hiøagtelse og Venskab
Deres
hengivne
A Thorvaldsen
Rome, May 9th 1929
Sir, Counsellor Adler,
I take the liberty to write to you, good friend, to let you know that now I must use the 9,000 Scudi which H.R. Highness Prince Christian has been as kind as to keep for me and which December 9th 1826 I have announced I was calling back. According to your favour of March 17th 1827, I shall comply completely with your opinion that, whenever I wish to draw any sum at the House Torlonia I shall give him a month’s notice in advance, and at the payment I shall let him write it off on the bond, and when the whole denomination sum has been paid I shall send it to you provided with my signature. –
The many works which I have had made in marble at my own expense here in Rome and Carrara cause me to call in the mentioned sum.
I most humbly ask you to give my regards to your R. Highness and ask you to keep me in your friendly remembrance by which I remain with respect and friendship
Yours sincerely,
A Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
Three drafts are known of this letter: two on the same sheet and a third.
See also the related article Christian 8.’s Loan from Thorvaldsen.
Last updated 27.02.2017
I.e. the Danish Prince Christian (8.) Frederik.
I.e. the 9,000 Roman scudi that Christian (8.) Frederik 1.4.1821 had borrowed from Thorvaldsen, and that Thorvaldsen now called in (for the second time); see also the related article Christian 8.’s Loan from Thorvaldsen.
I.e. the Danish Prince Christian (8.) Frederik.
This wording makes it almost sound as if
Christian (8.) Frederik had done him a service by borrowing money from him. The truth was that the Prince was not able to pay back the money in time, and Thorvaldsen generously chose partly to postpone calling in the money, partly to forgo the interest. Read more about this and about the clever reasons Thorvaldsen may have had for the remission of the debt in the related article Christian 8.’s Loan from Thorvaldsen.
Cf. letter dated 9.12.1826 from Thorvaldsen to Johan Gunder Adler.
Cf. letter dated 17.3.1827 from Johan Gunder Adler to Thorvaldsen.
The banking firm of Torlonia, who handled many of Thorvaldsen’s financial affairs.
I.e. the Danish consul in Rome Luigi Chiaveri, who was then to pass on the message to the Torlonia brothers. Although Chiaveri is not mentioned by name, there is no doubt that it is he, cf. letter dated 17.3.1827 from Johan Gunder Adler to Thorvaldsen.
I.e. probably one of the brothers in the banking firm of Torlonia, cf. letter dated 17.3.1827 from Johan Gunder Adler to Thorvaldsen.
The payment to Thorvaldsen has been correctly entered on the “certificate of indebtedness:/dokumenter/m29III,nr.3 probably by one of the Torlonia brothers. This shows that Thorvaldsen received 2,000 scudi, then, some months later, another 2,000 scudi, and finally, in 1831, 5,000 scudi.
I.e. the certificate of indebtedness dated 1.4.1821.
The Certificate of Indebtedness has been correctly signed by Thorvaldsen and forwarded to Adler.
These marble works, which Thorvaldsen is said to have produced at his own expense for his future museum, cf. the related article Christian 8.’s Loan from Thorvaldsen, have not been identified.
I.e. in Thorvaldsen’s workshop in Piazza Barberini.
I.e. the marble quarry at Carrara, Italy.
I.e. the Danish Prince Christian (8.) Frederik.