Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
C.F. Hansen
København
Ingen udskrift.
Dateringen fremgår ikke af brevudkastet, men af et andet senere udkast til samme brev.
One of three draft letters, in Thorvaldsen’s own hand, of a fourth draft letter dated 7.2.1827 written by a copyist.
Tak gode Hr Conferenzraad for deres venskabel[i]ge Skrivelse, som jeg har modtaget den med stor Fornøilse[.]
Med san Glæde har jeg modtaget Deres Brev gode Her Conferensrad hvoraf i[e]g seer De lever vel og faaer en fuldendt sand bestemmelse af den en af denne skiøneste Prodotter [til] vor Frue Kirke[s] ful[d]endelseI
Det giør meg undt at [jeg] ikke har alt færde men jeg skal benytte den gode Leilighed saa meget som mulig og den hvad der [er] færdig tel at afsende er følgende Nemlig Christus og de 12 Apostler i Gibs.
De tvende 2de Cariatider til Thron gemakket i Marmor[,] Busterne af H K H prens Christians og hans Gemalinde Legeledes i Marmor
En Døbefong i Marmor som jeg gaaer til Island[.] alle fi jeg har til frontespizsten af Frue Kirke alle Figurer færdege forstelende Johannis som præger i Ørken alle figurne færdige og som jeg mener matte være af tyndt Bronz støbt i flære stekke [flere stykker] og sat sammen og kunde ved B stenner [stænger] fra Rykk [ryggen] af Fegurene en [ind] i muren næsten kunde Bære sig selv end at og treerne og forhøinegen hvor J[o]hansens staar paa kunne væres af tyndt udhamre[t] Metal saa Gesimsen nesten ikke har noget at bære[.] man har giordt overslag paa omtrendt 2000 F hvad de kunde koste at støbe i Paris[.] man kan ikke [hugge i] Marmor blokerne for til saadan sage[r?] for den pris og jeg ved ingen Materie for hvor Glimrene man passende og billigereII[.] de kat[?] som man har forvexlet med apos[t]len som aldrig har været min tankke at de skulde være af Bronz.
Di telader at jeg x og maa først spørge om De 4 Evangelister til NekkenIII i Portalet har jeg ikke begynd x formeles [formedelst] der er to af dem som er apostlen Johannes og Mateo som er EvakefelesIV og Apostel for ikke at repetere dem i samme Bygning
De 4 Evangelister til Portalet i Frue Kirkke for ikke at repeter[e] de to Apostler Johanes og Mateo som tillige ere Evangeliste[r] tror jeg det var bedre at giøre 2 Sibillre og 2 Profeder som har forudsagt Christus ankobmelse
Thank you, kind Konferenceråd for your friendly letter which I have received it with great pleasure.
I have received your letter with true pleasure, kind Konferenceråd, from which I see you are well and get a complete true definition of one of these most beautiful products for the finishing of the Church of Our Lady
I am terribly sorry that I have not finished it all, but I shall make the best possible use of the good opportunity ready to be sent off are the following, namely Christ and the 12 Apostles in plaster.
The two Caryatids in marble for the throne room, the busts of H.R.H prince Christian and his wife also in marble
A baptismal font in marble, which I goes to Iceland. All fi For the pediment of the Church of Our Lady all figures ready representing John preaching in the desert I have all the figures ready and which in my opinion should be in thin bronze cast in several pieces and put together and by b poles from the back of the figures into the wall it could almost carry itself than to and the trees and the high ground on which John is standing could be made of thin metal hammered out so the cornice has almost nothing to carry. A rough estimation of about 2.000 F has been made of what it would cost to cast them in Paris. One cannot carve in marble blocks for such things at this price and I know of no substance for how perfect one more suitable and cheaper. The kat [?] which has been confused with the apostles whom I have never intended to be in bronze.
You permit me to x and first I must ask you about the 4 evangelists in the niche in the portal I have not yet begun because of two of them are apostles John and Matthew who are evangelists and Apostel not to repeat them in the same building
The 4 evangelists for the portal in the Church of Our Lady in order not to repeat the two Apostles John and Matthew who are also evangelists I think it would be better to make 2 sibyls and 2 prophets who have prophesied the coming of Christ
[Translated by Karen Husum]
There exist three more drafts of the same draft letter: One is written and corrected by a copyist, and therefore it probably represents a later stage in the writing process; the other is written by Thorvaldsen himself but is less sketchy than the present draft, while a third – also in Thorvaldsen’s hand – only contains the beginning of the letter.
See the related articles Thorvaldsen’s Letter Writing Process and Thorvaldsen’s Spoken and Written Language.
See also the related article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artsworks to Copenhagen 1828 for a detailed list of the works which were included in the shipment and other facts concerning the transportation.
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Karyatide, 1813, inv.nr. A55 |
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Karyatide, 1813, inv.nr. A56 |
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Kristi dåb, Tidligst 1804 - 1805, inv.nr. A555,1 |
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Maria med Jesus og Johannes, Tidligst 1806 - Senest 1808, inv.nr. A555,2 |
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Tre svævende engle, Tidligst 1806 - Senest 1808, inv.nr. A555,3 |
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Kristus velsigner børnene, Tidligst 1806 - Senest 1808, inv.nr. A555,4 |
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Christian (8.) Frederik, Antagelig 7. januar 1821 - Antagelig 13. januar 1821, inv.nr. A753 |
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Caroline Amalie, Tidligst 30. december 1820 - 1821, inv.nr. A754 |
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Kristus, Antagelig november 1821 - Senest januar 1822, inv.nr. A82 |
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Peter, Antagelig 19. marts 1821 - juni 1821, inv.nr. A86 |
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Matthæus, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A87 |
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Johannes, Primo 1824 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A89 |
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Jakob den Yngre, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A91 |
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Philip, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A93 |
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Thomas, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A96 |
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Jakob den Ældre, Tidligst 19. marts 1821 - Ultimo 1821, inv.nr. A98 |
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Bartholomæus, 2. august 1823 - 21. december 1823, inv.nr. A99 |
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Simon Zelotes, 1823 - Senest 1827, inv.nr. A101 |
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Paulus, Antagelig 19. marts 1821 - juni 1821, inv.nr. A103 |
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Judas Thaddæus, Ca. 28. marts 1842 - 10. april 1842, inv.nr. A105 |
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Andreas, 1. marts 1842, inv.nr. A108 |
Last updated 21.11.2016
The last part of this paragraph is somewhat difficult to decipher, and therefore the meaning is not completely clear.
A more understandable version of the same passage is seen in another of Thorvaldsen’s drafts of this paragraph.
The meaning is also unclear here due to the difficulty of deciphering the text and to Thorvaldsen’s spelling and omission of words.
However, the meaning must be that Thorvaldsen cannot imagine a better material than bronze for the figures in the John group for the pediment of the façade of the Church of Our Lady.
Antagelig menes “nichen”.
Sandsynligvis menes her “evangelister”.