Bertel Thorvaldsen
København
Christian 8.
Rom
Dateringsbegrundelsen er under udarbejdelse. Brevet kan tidligst stamme fra kort efter 6.1.1820, hvor kronprinsens brev, som Thorvaldsen svarer på, blev skrevet.
Kommentarerne til dette brev er under udarbejdelse.
Deres Høiheds naadigste Skrivelse dateret (14 Novbr. 1819) og det Senere fra Rom af 6te (Januar) har jeg med Fornøielse underdanigst modtaget. Det glæder mig, at Deres Høihed og Høie Gemalinde befinde sig vel ved at betræde Kunstens classiske Jordbund, men det giør mig ondt, at jeg ikke her i Fædrenelandet skulde være saa lykkelig at samles med Deres Høihed; jeg skulde da have haft en Støtte til at fremme det Gode, jeg som god Borger og Kunstner gierne vilde.
I Slotbygnings Commissionen, som og i Commissionen for Frue Kirke, har jeg yttret: at saa gierne som jeg vilde, saae jeg mig ikke istand til, formedelst mine mange Bestillinger, at præstere alle de Arbeider, de forlange af mig, men for at nærme mig disse Commissionens Ønske, har jeg proponeret: at lade Figurer og Basrelieffer modelere under min Opsigt i Rom, naar man dertil vilde anvise mig en vis Summa aarlig. Af disse modelerede Sager kunde man tage to Afstøbninger, sende den ene Afstøbning til Danmark og lade den anden forblive i Rom; den hiemsendte kunde saaledes strax tage sin Plads som Dekoration paa Stedet, for dog at noget kunde synes færdigt; de tilbageblevne Afstøbninger kunde tiene til derefter at udføres i Marmor, efterhaanden som Landets Tarv og Tiden vilde tillade samme. Denne min Proposition troer jeg at være grundet, saavel fra Oekonomiens som Mulighedens Side (og desuden at ville lede til Baade for Freund. Men jeg har med alt dette ikke været saa lykkelig at see denne min Bestræbelse at komme til Resultat).
Det glæder mig, at Deres Høihed naadigst yttrer: at der burde sættes Abildgaard et Monument, thi dette er det, som jeg og Enhver ønsker, der med Ærbødighed erindrer sig denne afdøde, store Kunstner. Jeg skal derfor med Fornøielse nøiere overtænke, hvorledes det vilde være muligt at opfylde dette Deres Høiheds naadigste Ønske.
At Deres Høihed oftere med Fornøielse besøger mine Atteliers og føler bittert Savn ved min Fraværelse, ere de mest naadige Yttringer og det mest Smigrende for mig.
Min Tilbagereise til Foraaret har jeg bestemt over Warschau, Wien og München, og da Deres Høihed formodentlig opholder sig saalænge som muligt i Italien, vil jeg haabe at kunne nyde den Lykke at mødes, om ikke i Italien selv, som var mit hierteligste Ønske, saa dog paa et af Reisens Opholdssteder.
Deres Majestæters Buster og begge de Kongl. Prindsessers har jeg modeleret, og til Frue Kirke et Basrelief, nemlig Christus, som lader sig døbe.
Underdanigst skal jeg efterkomme Deres Høiheds Ønske, at modelere H.K., Deres Høiheds kiære Søn.
Med mit Ophold i Fædrenelandet er jeg tilfreds og bør være det; thi Kongens allernaadigste Opmærksomhed har jeg ved flere Leiligheder erfaret, og mine gamle Venner og Bekiendtere glædes ved min Nærværelse. Desuden tiener til min Beroligelse, at Brøndsted og Freund have meddeelt mig gode Efterretninger fra Rom.
Jeg har giort Bevægelse om, at det Kongl. Kapel i Roeskilde maatte sættes i Stand; thi jeg har troet dette at være min Pligt. Vil vi, at Kongerne skal elskes, da maa vi holde Hævd over deres Minder, og skal der ikke sættes Kongerne Monumenter, da har Kunstneren intet Hiem i Danmark. Trende smukke Monumenter af danske Kunstnere, bedækkede af Støv, ere gaaede i Forglemmelse, fordi at Harsdorfs smukke Kapel, – Gud veed af hvad Aarsag – ikke er blevet færdigt. Ikke frugtesløs har jeg giort Bevægelse om denne vigtige Gienstand; thi nu er ikke Spørgsmaal om, hvad det vil koste; man vil, det skal istandsættes, følgeligen, dersom at Etatsraad Hansen blot har halvt saamegen Interesse for dette, som for sit Eget, da er der ingen Tvivl om, at dette mit og alle gode Borgeres Ønske gaaer i Opfyldelse.
Endelig har Höyer bragt det saavidt, at han igien kan begynde at male. Dette melder jeg underdanigst Deres Høihed, thi det glæder mig.
Vinteren har hidtil været taalelig; ved Kulden har mit Helbred intet liidt. Nytaarsdag var jeg paa en Kanetour til Sorgenfri, hvor jeg tilligemed gode Venner erindrede os Deres Høihed.
Mit hierteligste Ønske er, at Deres Høihed med Høie Gemalinde maa leve vel, og nærer jeg det smigrende Haab, at jeg i Rom skal have den Ære, personlig at anbefale mig Deres Høiheds Naade.
With pleasure I have received Your Highness’ most gracious favour of November 14th 1819 as well as the later one from Rome of 6th (January). I am delighted that Your Highness and High Consort are comfortable setting foot on the classic soil of art, but I am sorry that here in the native country I shall not be so happy as to meet Your Highness; I should then have had support to further the good, which I as a good citizen and artist should like to. In the Building Commission for the Palace as well as in the Commission for the Church of Our Lady I have expressed: that even though I should love to, I was not capable of performing all the works, they demand from me, on account of my many commissions, but to approach the wishes of the Commission I have proposed: to have figures and bas-reliefs modelled under my supervision in Rome, if I for this would be assigned a certain annual amount of money. Two casts might be taken of these modelled objects, one cast might be sent to Denmark and the other might remain in Rome; the one sent home could thus immediately be placed as an ornament in situ, so that at least something might look finished; the remaining casts might serve as models to be executed in marble as the interests of the country and time would admit of the same. I think this proposition is based on economy as well as on practicability (and besides it would lead to benefit for Freund. But with all this I have not been so happy to see my efforts get to a result).
I am pleased that Your Highness graciously expresses: that a monument ought to be erected for Abildgaard, for this is what I and everybody wishes, who with deference remember this deceased great artist. So with pleasure I shall further consider how it would be possible to comply with this Your Highness’ gracious wish.
That Your Highness more often visits my studios with pleasure and feels that I am bitterly missed in my absence are the most gracious remarks and the most flattering to me.
My return journey in spring I have planned via Warsaw, Vienna, and Munich, and as Your Highness presumably will stay as long as possible in Italy I shall hope to be able to enjoy the good fortune to meet. If not in Italy itself which was my most sincere wish, then in one of the places of sojourn on the journey.
I have modelled the busts of Your Majesties and those of both the Royal Princesses as well as a bas-relief for the Church of Our Lady, namely Christ being baptized.
Most humbly I shall carry out Your Highness’ wish that I model H R H Your Highness’ dear son.
I am satisfied with my stay in the native land and should be so; for I have on several occasions experienced the King’s most gracious attention, and my old friends and acquaintances are delighted at my presence. Besides it gives me reassurance that Brøndsted and Freund have given me good information from Rome.
I have made a great fuss about pointing out that the Royal Chapel in Roskilde had to be repaired; for I thought this to be my duty. If we want the kings to be loved we must honour their memorials and if we are not to erect monuments for the kings the artist will have no home in Denmark. Three beautiful monuments by Danish artists covered with dust have gone to oblivion, because Harsdorf’s beautiful chapel – Heaven knows why – has not been finished.
I have not unavailing raised a fuss about this important object; for now it is not a question how much it will cost; it is wanted that it shall be restored, consequently, if Etatsraad Hansen takes only half as much interest in this, as in his own matters, there is no doubt that this my wish as well as that of all good citizens will be fulfilled.
At last Höyer has succeeded so far that he can start painting again. I most humbly inform Your Highness about this, for it pleases me.
Winter has been tolerable up to now; my health has suffered nothing at the cold. On New Year’s day I went on a sleigh trip to Sorgenfri where together with good friends I remembered Your Highness.
My most sincere wish is that Your Highness with Your High Consort may be comfortable and I cherish the flattering hope that in Rome I shall have the honour to commend myself in person to Your Highness’ favour.
[Translated by Karen Husum]
Brevet kendes kun fra Thieles afskrift i hans Excerpter i arkivet på Thorvaldsens Museum.
C.F. Høyer
At Høyer skulle have ført pennen, hævdes af Thiele i hans afskrift i Excerpterne.
Sidst opdateret 19.12.2014