Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Brevet har været lukket med et blåt segl.
Just Mathias Thiele
København
Udskrift: S.T. / Hr: Professor Thiele / Sekretair ved det Kgl: Akademie for de / Skjønne Kunster. / per / Hambourg. / Copenhagne / Dannemarck.
Tilskrift: ST: Hr. Professor Thiele.
Brevet er poststemplet: “ROM”, “Stato Pontificio” og “T.T. HAMBURG 9. Jan. 34”
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
Thorvaldsen acknowledges receipt of the report on the arrival of his works of art in Copenhagen with the corvette Galathea, thanking the Academy of Fine Arts for their careful handling of the crates. The delivery of the Alexander Frieze to Christiansborg Palace and John the Baptist Preaching to the Church of Our Lady is correct. However, the reliefs The Baptism of Christ and The Institution of Eucharist and Baptismal Angel Kneeling still belong to Thorvaldsen, and he asks that they be returned to his rooms at Charlottenborg until other arrangements are made. Thorvaldsen wants to install the Alexander Frieze himself, five pieces of which will be shipped later, and retouch Christ when he comes to Copenhagen. The Academy of Fine Arts may carefully unpack damaged plaster casts, which Thorvaldsen will restore himself. They may also take the paintings out of the crates and hang them in Thorvaldsen’s room at the academy.
Kjære Hr Professor Thiele!
Af et Brev fra det Kongelige AkademieI, dateret 8d. Octobr: d:A.II modtog jeg Efterretning om, at mine hjemsendte KunstsagerIII lykkeligen vare ankomne til deres Bestemmelsessted. Denne Tidende var mig dobbelt behagelig, fordi Rygtet om de mange Uheld paa Søen ved hæftige Storme paa samme Tid, som den Kgl: CorvetteIV var underveis til Danmark, ikke lidet foruroligede mig. Ikke heller veed jeg, hvis en saadan Ulykke virkeligen havde funden Sted, om jeg havde havt Mod nok til at iværksætte min bestemte Hiemreise;V thi at komme tomhændet bagefter vilde nok have seet altfor besynderligt ud.
Nu, da Alt er gaaet efter Ønske føler jeg mig tillige taknemmelig forbundet for den Omhyggelighed, hvormed det Kgl: Akademie har behandlet de hjemsendte Gjenstande.
Man tillade mig iøvrigt at bemærke, at ligesom det har sit fuldkomne Rigtige med Afleveringen til ChristiansborgslotVI af de 10 Kister, som indeholde Friesen Alexanders TriumfindtogVII, og Afleveringen til Frue KirkeVIII af de Kasser, som indeslutte FrontonenIX, og til Slotskirken ChristusstatuenX, saaledes er nok en Vildfarelse indløben med Hensyn til de til Fruekirke afleverede 2de. Basreliefs Christi DaabXI og Nadverens IndstiftelseXII samt en DøbefontXIII, hvilke Arbeider endnu tilhøre mig, og som jeg ønskede hensatte i mit LocaleXIV til nærmere Bestemmelse. Med Hensyn til Friesen, da vil det vel være nødvendigt, at dens Opstillelse beroer indtil min Hjemkomst, da der dels er meget at iagttage i den Henseende, og da jeg desuden endnu har 5 Stykker af den tilbage her i Rom, men som snart vil blive færdige og hjemsendteXV. – Ogsaa Christusstatuen agter jeg at retuschere paa Stedet, hvor den er opstillet. – Hvad de beskadigede eller revnede GipssagerXVI angaar, da ønsker jeg at disse forsigtigen udtages, og at Stykkerne bevares samlede, da jeg ved min Ankomst agter selv at sammensætte disse Sager. – Slutteligen vilde det være mig kjært, om de af mig hjemsendte Malerier bleve optagne af Kasserne, hvor de let kan tage Skade, – og at man godhedsfuld vilde ophænge dem i det mig bestemte Locale. Det Kongelige Akademie, som jeg gjentagen maa takke for dets store Deltagelse og Opmærksomhed for mig, vil sikkert, som jeg haaber, velvilligen optage disse mine Smaa-Bemærkninger, og jeg glæder mig til snart mundtlig at kunde bevidne Enhver især min Agtelse og Hengivenhed. –
Kjære Hr Professor Thiele! Jeg henlever med Venskab
Deres ganske Hengivne
Alberto Thorvaldsen
Rom d: 21 Dcmbr 1833
Professor Thiele, Sir,
In a letter from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of October 8th this year I was informed that my works of art sent home had safely arrived at their destination. This piece of news was twice as pleasant to me, as the report about the many accidents at sea in violent gales at the time the royal corvette was on its way to Denmark made me rather unhappy. Neither do I know, if such an accident should have taken place, whether I should have had the courage to carry out my planned journey home; for to follow empty handed would surely have looked rather strange.
Now as everything has turned out as I wished it I also feel grateful for the care with which the royal academy has handled the objects sent home.
Permit me besides to point out that it was correct to deliver to Christiansborg Palace the 10 crates, which contain the Frieze Alexander’s Triumphal Entry as was the delivery to the Church of Our Lady of the crates which contain the Fronton and to the Palace Church the statue of Christ, but there seem to be a mistake as regards the two bas-reliefs delivered to the Church of Our Lady: Baptism of Christ and the Institution of Eucharist as well as a baptismal font. These works still belong to me and I wished to have them placed in my premises for further decision. As regards the Frieze. it will be necessary to wait with its placing for my return, as much is to be observed in that respect, and as besides I still have 5 pieces of it left here in Rome, but they will soon be finished and sent home. – I also intend to retouch in situ, where it has been placed, the statue of Christ. As for the damaged or cracked plaster objects I wish them to be carefully removed, and the pieces to be kept collected, as at my arrival I intend to put these together myself. – Finally I should like the paintings sent home by me to be taken out of the crates, where they might easily be damaged – and kindly to be hung up in the premises allotted to me. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, which I must repeatedly thank for its great participation and attention in my affairs, is sure to take my little remarks kindly, I hope, and I am looking forward to showing my respect and devotion verbally to each soon. –
Professor Thiele, Sir, I am with friendship
Your much devoted,
Alberto Thorvaldsen
Rome, December 21st 1833
[Translated by Karen Husum]
The letter is written by an amanuensis, but the signature and the words “Your much devoted” are written by Thorvaldsen hinself.
Ludvig Bødtcher
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Alexander den Stores indtog i Babylon, marts 1812 - juni 1812, inv.nr. A503 |
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En jæger, Tidligst oktober 1822, inv.nr. A67 |
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Johannes Døberen, Tidligst oktober 1822, inv.nr. A59 |
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En dreng, Tidligst oktober 1822, inv.nr. A65 |
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Kristus, Antagelig november 1821 - Senest januar 1822, inv.nr. A82 |
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Kristi dåb, januar 1820, inv.nr. A557 |
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Dåbens engel knælende, Antagelig 1829, inv.nr. A112 |
Last updated 08.05.2017
I.e. the Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen i København.
Cf. letter dated 8.10.1833 from the Academy of Fine Arts to Thorvaldsen.
Cf. the article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1833.
The corvette Galathea, cf. the article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1833.
Thorvaldsen was planning to go to Copenhagen in the autumn of 1832, but the journey was postponed several times and not begun until 5.8.1838.
Cf. the article Commission for Christiansborg Palace.
Alexander the Great’s Entry into Babylon (the Alexander Frieze), marble, Christiansborg Palace, cf. A503.
See also the article Commission for the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen.
John the Baptist Preaching, terracotta, the pediment of the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, cf. A64, A63, A62, A61, A60, A59, A65, A66, A67, A68, A69, A70.
Christ, marble, the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, cf. A82.
The Baptism of Christ, marble, the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, cf. A557.
The Institution of the Eucharist, marble, the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, cf. A558.
Baptismal Angel Kneeling, marble, the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen, cf. A112.
Two rooms next to Thorvaldsen’s residence at Charlottenborg had been allocated for the returning artworks, cf. the article Thorvaldsen’s Residence, Studio and Museum in the Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen.
Cf. the article Transportation of Thorvaldsen’s Artworks to Copenhagen 1835.
Among other things, cracks had appeared in Horse, plaster cast, cf. A125, part of the monument to Poniatowski, cf. A123.