Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Matthias Friis von Irgens-Bergh
Dresden
Udskrift: Høivelbaarne Hr. Kammerherre, Geheime-Legationsraad v. Irgens-Bergh Ridder af flere Ordener &.&.
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.
Rom d. 28’ Februar 1827.
Høivelbaarne Hr. Kammerherre!
Med sand Glæde modtog jeg Deres Høivelbaarenheds venskabelige Skrivelse af 16de Januar, og hjerteligen maa jeg takke Dem for den utrættelige Iver og varme Deeltagelse, De viser for Herrmann. Hans og mit kjæreste Ønske er, at han, som jeg sikkert haaber, maa vise sig saamegen Godhed og Interesse værdig. Jeg tillader mig at besvare Deres Høivelbaarenheds og Grev Vizthums Brev paa eengang, og saameget som muligt postviis for at min Mening i de enkelte Puncter ikke skal synes manglende eller tvetydig.
Min Anskuelse af Sagen er da omtrent denne: Naar Herrmann ved Grev Vizthums godhedsfulde og ædle Bestræbelser sættes istand dertil, rejser han til Dresden. Han modellerer der i Leer Hans Majestæt Kongens Buste, tro efter Naturen og i naturlig Størrelse. Det er hans Ønske tillige da at kunne faae Leilighed til at modellere Buster af de Mænd, der staae den ædle Konges Trone nærmest og som med saamegen Varme have bidraget til at forskaffe ham et for ham som Undersaat og Kunstner lige kjært og vigtigt Arbeid. Forsynet med disse Arbeider, der tjene ham som Materialier, troer jeg, at han bør vende tilbage til Rom, hvor han under mit Tilsyn og Veiledning udfører Kongens Buste i Marmor og i colossal Størrelse. Denne sidste Maalestok anseer jeg for nødvendig, da Busten i sin Tid altid vil blive placeret paa et Sted, hvor den naturlige Størrelse vilde være meget for liden og skade Arbeidets Effect uendeligt meget. Til et saadant Foretagende troer jeg, at et Aars Tid, foruden Frem- og Tilbagereisen, omtrent vil medgaae; det Mere eller Mindre ved denne Tid lader sig, da uforudseete Omstændigheder let kunne indtræffe, naturligviis ikke nøie bestemme.
Hvad Betalingsmaaden angaaer, da antager jeg, at det for begge Parter vistnok vilde være beqvemmest og mest passende, om man for Herrmann bestemte en vis, anstændig Underholdningssum for den Tid Arbeidet varer, foruden Omkostningerne til Reisen hen og tilbage, og dernæst, naar Arbeidet er færdigt, lod ham tilflyde en passende Gratification i Forhold til Arbeidets Fortrinlighed. Betalingens Størrelse er det mig naturligviis vanskeligt at bestemme; jeg kan kun sige saameget, at jeg for en Buste altid har erholdt 100 Louisd’orer, naar denne var i naturlig Størrelse.
Naar Herrmann i sin Tid vender tilbage hertil med sine Modeller, skal jeg i Forening med ham overlægge Costumets Arrangement. Ved at see Modellen, der er taget tro efter Naturen og ved i dette Tilfælde at sammenligne den med det omtalte Kobber, vil man blive sat istand til at indrette Costumet saaledes, at dette anbringes med Smag uden at derfor nogetsomhelst Fremmed indbringes, der kunde forstyrre den i et saadant Tilfælde saa vigtige Lighed.
Efterat jeg saaledes har yttret min Mening i de forskjellige Puncter i denne Sag, tør jeg endnu besvære Hr. Kammerherren med at formælde min Hilsen til alle dem, der med Venskab mindes mig. Dahls Ønske i Anledning af Busten skal blive nøiagtigen opfyldt; den Glæde, jeg har af dagligen at see denne Kunstners Arbeide i min Stue, er mig en meer end tilstrækkelig Gjengjæld for et mig desuden for Gjenstandens Skyld saa kjært Arbeide. Jeg beder Dem hilse ham venskabeligen fra mig.
Jeg gjør de bedste Ønsker for Deres, Deres Fru Gemalindes og Deres Families Held og Vel, og beder Dem modtage Forsikringen om den uindskrænkede Agtelse, med hvilken jeg forbliver
Deres Høivelbaarenheds
ærbødige og hengivne
[resten med Thorvaldsens hånd:] Ven
A Thorvaldsen
Rome, February 28th 1827
Honourable Chamberlain,
I received your friendly favour of January 16th, Sir, with true pleasure and I must sincerely thank you for the tireless energy and warm sympathy you show for Herrmann. His and my most sincere wish is that he will prove himself worthy of so much kindness and interest, which I certainly hope. I venture to answer your, Sir and Count Vizthum’s letters at the same time and if possible point by point so that my opinion on the single points shall not seem insufficient or equivocal.
My view on the matter then is more or less like this: When, because of Count Vizthum’s kind and noble endeavours, Herrmann will be able to do so, he will go to Dresden. There he will model in clay the bust of His Majesty the King, true to nature and life-size. It is his wish also then to be able to model busts of the men, who are closest to the throne of the noble King and who with so much warmth have helped to get him a job, which to him as subject and artist is equally dear and important. Equipped with the works that serve him as material, I think he should return to Rome, where under my supervision and direction he will execute the King’s bust in marble and in great size. I regard this latter measure to be necessary as in its time, the bust willl always be placed somewhere, where its life-size would be much too small and be rather bad for the effect of the work. For such a plan, I think that about a year will pass besides the journey there and back; at the time, this of course, is not to decide exactly as unforeseen circumstances might easily occur.
As regards the mode of payment, I suppose it would probably be the most convenient and most suitable for both parts, if a certain decent sum of maintenance was decided for Herrmann for the time of the work, besides the expenses for the journey there and back, and furthermore, let a suitable gratuity accrue to him commensurate with the excellence of the work. The amount of the payment is of course difficult for me to decide; I can merely say that for a bust I have always received 100 louisd’ores, when it was life-sized.
When the time comes for Herrmann to return to this place with his models I shall together with him, consider the arranging of the costume. Seeing the model taken true to nature and in this case comparing it to the mentioned engraving we shall be enabled to arrange the costume so that it is done in taste without anything strange being introduced which might disturb the likeness so important in such a case.
Having given my opinion in this way on the various points in this matter I further dare to trouble you, Sir, by sending my regards to all those who remember me with friendship. Dahl’s wish regarding the bust shall be fulfilled exactly; the joy I feel daily to see this artist’s work in my room is more than enough return for a work besides on account of the object dear to me. I beg you to give him my friendly regards.
I send the best wishes for your, your wife’s and your family’s welfare, and beg you to receive my unlimited respect, with which I remain
Honourable Sir,
Your humble and faithful
[the rest in Thorvaldsen’s hand:] friend
A Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
NN
Last updated 04.05.2015