Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Nicolai Abildgaard
København
Dateringen fremgår ikke af udkastet, men da det er kladde til det afsendte brev af 23.9.1806, må det være skrevet denne dag. Se i øvrigt også dateringsbegrundelsen til dette brev.
Second draft of a letter: Thorvaldsen has received payment for the three catalogue volumes of the Museo Pio Clementino. He corrects the misunderstanding that Abildgaard thought he wanted his professorial salary. Instead, Thorvaldsen asks for the last part of his travelling grant and reminds Abildgaard of his promise to help him. The marble busts of Jacob Baden, A863, and Mathias Saxtorph, A899, have both been finished and are ready to be shipped to Denmark. He asks Abildgaard to tell his father that he has asked Charlotte Schimmelmann to help him. He writes that he is happy sharing his lodgings with C.F. Høyer.
Med megen Fornøyelse har ieg modtaget Deres Brev af 14d Aug: og erkiænder ieg stedse Deres Omhygelighed for mig – De 80 Scudi for Museum Pio Clementino har ieg rigtig bekommet. – Angaaende Misforstaaelsen med min Fordring paa Akademiet – Da var det min Mening At kiære Hr Justisraaden vilde have Omsorg for: at de 3 siste Qvartaliter af mit Stipendium som ieg endnu haver tilgode, maatte blive mig udbetalte; og at De til den Ende vilde forlange af Frölich & Comp. at meddeele mig her en Anviisning Paa det af mit Reise Stipendium som ieg ennu haver tilgode
Proffor Badens Byste er færdig og skal efter Forlangende blive afsendt tillige med Saxorfs Byste til Doctor Schel som ieg i mellem os sagt ikke har giortI –Jeg anbefaler mig stedse Hr Justisraadens Bevaagenhed. Men Uagtet ieg er forvisset om at De efter Løfte haver mig i Erindring tager jeg dog mig den Frihed: igien at bede Dem: at have Omsorg for: at mig bliver sendt Penge saasnar som muligt – Thi det hænder sig ofte at de Penge ieg skulde oppebære ikke blive mig betalte til rette Tiid, og ieg behøver Pen[g]e hver Dag for at bestride Udgivterne i mit Værksted
Naar De seer min gamle Fader er De saa god at hilse ham: at ieg har forlangt af Baron Schubart at skrive til hans Syster Grevinde Schimmelmann at viise Omhygelighed for ham Og at ieg med Taknemlighed derfore vilde ved mit Arbeide viise min Erkiændlighed,
At De kiære Hr Justisraad haver Omsorg for min gamle Fader veed ieg; Men hvad de Store giøer for ham; som ere altiid saa rede til love, ved ieg ikke. Jeg ønsker stedse at Høystærede Hr Justisraaden med kiære Familie lever vel
Og anbefalende mig med dyb Ærbødighed er ieg stedse med Al Høyagtelse Deres taknemligste og ganske hengivne
It was with great enjoyment that I received your letter of Aug. 14th, and I acknowledge your solicitude for me as ever—I did duly receive the 80 Scudi for the Museo Pio Clementino.—As for the misunderstanding regarding my demand from the Academy—It was my intention that the dear sir, Councillor of Justice, would take care that the three last quarterly payments of my stipend, which I still have owing to me, be disbursed to me, and that to this end, you would request that Frölich & co. send a bill of exchange to me here regarding the portion of my travel stipend that I still have owing to me
Professor Baden’s bust is finished, and will be sent upon request, along with Saxtorph’s bust for Dr. Scheel, which, between us, I did not make myself —As ever, I commend myself to the favor of the Councillor of Justice, sir. But Although I am certain that you, as promised, have me in remembrance, I do nonetheless take the liberty of asking you once more to take care that I be sent money as soon as possible—For it often happens that the money I should receive is not paid to me at the proper time, and I need money every day in order to defray the expenses in my workshop
When you see my elderly father, please greet him and say that I have asked Baron Schubart to write to his sister, Countess Schimmelmann, asking her to show him solicitude. And that in gratitude for this, I would show my appreciation with my work,
That you, dear sir, Councillor of Justice, do care for my elderly father, that I know; but I do not know what the great ones, who are always so ready to make promises, do for him. As ever, most honorable sir, Councillor of Justice, I wish that you and your family are healthy, and commending myself with deep reverence, I remain, as ever, with all respect, your most grateful and entirely devoted
[Translated by David Possen]
This draft is written by C.F. Høyer and is probably the final draft of the finished letter, as the wording of this draft is very close to the final version. There exists an earlier draft written by Thorvaldsen himself, the wording of which is farther from the finished letter. Regarding the connection between the three versions of the letter, see the general comment on the finished letter or the related article about Thorvaldsen’s Letter Writing Process.
There is only one note in a passage of this draft that differs from the final version. Regarding the other notes, see the finished letter.
C.F. Høyer
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Mathias Saxtorph, 1801, inv.nr. A899 |
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Jacob Baden, juni 1806 - september 1806, inv.nr. A863 |
Last updated 09.10.2015
Here Thorvaldsen openly admits that he has had someone else execute the bust of Mathias Saxtorph, A899. This passage was deleted in the finished letter.
See also the related article about Saxtorph’s Bust.