Bertel Thorvaldsen
København
Eksekutorerne for Thorvaldsens bo
København
Tilskrift: Til DHr. Exsecutorer af min sidste Villie, Conferenceraad Collin, Justitsraad Thiele, Professor Clausen og Professor Schouw
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.
Jeg har i disse Dage i de offentlige BladeI læst en Bekiendtgiørelse fra Borger=Repræsentanterne, hvilken har giort et høist ubehageligt Indtryk paa mig, og som mere end noget andet kan paaskynde min Afreise fra mit ellers saa kiære Fødehiem. Jeg skyer Strid og Trætte, som ere uforenelige med den Sindsro jeg som Kunstner behøver og i mit Livs Aften trænger til, og jeg afholder mig derfor helst fra al umiddelbar Deeltagelse i denne Sag; men jeg kan for mine Venner ikke tilbageholde den Yttring, at ligesom det har smertet mig at erfare de uforskyldte Ubehageligheder, som paadrages den talentfulde Bygmester, saaledes har det krænket mig, at man vil drage Mænd, som af Kiærlighed til min Kunst og mig have været de første og vigtigste Drivfiedre til at faae Museet tilveiebragt, til pecuniairt Ansvar for muelige Bygningsfeil.
Dengang jeg i mit Gavebrev af 5te. December 1838 skrev, at jeg forbeholdt mig, dersom det skulde møde Vanskeligheder, at faae Museet i Stand, at forandre min Disposition over den Deel af mine Kunstsager, som er i Rom, ahnede jeg mindst, at jeg skulde møde Krænkelse af den Natur og fra den Kant, men derfor er det ogsaa vist, at saadanne Begivenheder høre til de Vanskeligheder, der fortrinsviis kunde bestemme mig til paa anden Maade at anvende hiin tilbageblivende Deel.
Dem mine Herrer, som jeg har udnævnt som Exsecutorer af mit Gavebrev og Testament, beder jeg at modtage denne min Erklæring, og benytte den efter Behag.
Jeg finder mig i øvrigt foranlediget til at gientage hvad jeg forhen har bestemt, at de Summer som til Comiteen ere indkomne for mine Værker, Christus og Apostlerne, saavelsom hvad der fremdeles paa denne Maade tilflyde Museums=Fonden, maa, ligesaalidt som hvad der ellers af min Formue kunde blive bestemt for Museet, anvendes til Bygnings=Arbeidet, men skal alene bruges til de nødvendige Indretninger og til Museets Forøgelse med Kunstsager.
Kiøbenhavn den 10de August 1840
Ærbødigst
Albert Thorvaldsen
In the public papers I have these days read a notice from the city council which has made a rather unpleasant impression on me and which more than anything else may hasten my departure from my otherwise dear native soil. I shun discord and quarrels which are incompatible with the calm I need as an artist and which I need now late in life, therefore I prefer to avoid direct participation in this matter. But to my friends I cannot suppress the remark that, just as it has grieved me to learn about the undeserved troubles inflicted on the talented builder, I have been offended that these people want to call to account for possible faults on the building men, who for love of my art and me have been the first and foremost movers in establishing the museum.
When in my deed of gift of December 5th 1838 I wrote that, in case there might be difficulties in establishing the museum, I reserved the right to change my disposition on the part of my objects of art, which are in Rome, I least of all thought that I would meet offence of this kind and from that quarter, but that is why it is certain that such developments belong to the difficulties, which especially might make me decide to use the remaining part differently.
I ask you, gentlemen, whom I have nominated executors of my deed of gift and will to accept this statement and make use of it at pleasure.
Besides, I take occasion to repeat what I have stipulated earlier, namely that the sums which have accrued to the committee, for my works Christ and the Apostles as well as what still in this way accrue to the foundation of the museum must not be used for building work, no more than what otherwise of my fortune might be intended for the museum, but it may only be used for the necessary arrangements and to the increase of objects of art for the museum.
Copenhagen, August 10th 1840
Respectfully,
Albert Thorvaldsen
[Translated by Karen Husum]
NN
Last updated 09.07.2019
Dvs. i Berlingske Tidende 8.8.1840.