C.F. Holbech
Rom
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Antagelig København
Ingen udskrift.
Tilskrift: Høivælbaaren / Comferenseraad Thorvaldsen / Storkors af Dannebrog o. s. v.
Dateringen fremgår af brevet.
Kommentarene til dette brev er under udarbejdelse.
C.F. Holbech skriver til Thorvaldsen ang. flere praktiske spørgsmål vedrørende produktionen af Thorvaldsens værker i værkstedet i Rom. Holbech beklager, at et brev til Thorvaldsen formentlig er gået tabt, og beder desuden om penge til at kunne foretage marmorindkøb for til reliefferne til Frederik 6.s monument, Skanderborg Slotsbanke.
Rom den 15 Januar 1843
Herr Conferenseraad
Det Brev som Baronesse StampeI paa Deres Anmodning haver havt den Godhed at skrive til mig, haver glædet mig overordentlig meget, da jeg deraf seer at De befinder Dem ved god Sundhed, Et Rygte har gaaet her i Rom, at De var meget sygII i et af Deres Been, hvilket haver bedrøvet mig meget, Dette Rygte er altsaa om ikke ganske usandt dog idetmindste har det væl ikke været saa slet som Fama haver giordt det, dette synnes Deres Brev at give mig Vished om, og min Glæde over at vide Dem munter, og istand til at udøve Deres herlige Kunst, kan kun den begribe som kiender min uinskrenkede Agtelse for Dem, og som ved hvormegen Taknemlighed jeg er Dem skyldig. Derimod haver det giordt mig undt at see af samme Brev, men temmelig Vished, at De ikke haver modtaget mit Brev af 22 November 1842III, hvorledes det er gaaet til kan jeg ikke begribe, men jeg tør antage med Sikkerhed at det er gaaet Dem tabt, da jeg i Deres Brev ikke finder et eneste af mine Spørgsmaale besvarede, det vil altsaa væl være nødvendigt at gientage en Deel af det som indeholdtes i mit forrige Brev, i Forening med det som jeg nu have at skrive om. Til Underretning om Deres Arbeiders Gang tiener her det første.
Baboni arbeider nu 10 Uger paa Grazierne, og haver i den Tid modtaget 54 scudi. Gruppen staar ennu mod Muren, men er dog paa Forsiden saa vit fremme af Blaakken, at jeg med Vished tør sige at paa denne side kun findes en Plæt, og den treffer paa Amors vænstre Arm. Grazzierne ere ganske rene, men Blaakken er som De selv ved ikke meget haard, det Haab at den invændig skulde blive haardere haver ikke realiseret sig. Scaramelli arbeider 11 Uger paa St Tadæus, og haver i den Tid modtaget 66 scudi han haver ontrændt ennu 6 Ugers Arbeide derpaa at giøre, Gabbiati er ennu ikke ganske færdig med Jesus i Emaus, thi da jeg ved at det ikke hasteer med dette Arbeide, saa haver jeg ladet ham hielpe mig med nogle smaating paa mit Basrilief da han arbeider meget godt, Han haver modtaget derpaa 38 scudi[.] Basrilieffet Venus, og Amor, stukken af Bien, er færdigt, og Sig Gioseppe arbeider nu paa Poninochis Buste, han har modtaget paa disse Arbeider 30 scudi[.] CamiaIV er ennu ikke færdig med Apostlene han arbeider i andre Studier, og haver tillige faaet nogle Informationer hos nogle engelske Damer, han lader sig kun meget li[d]t see i Deres Studie, og jeg begynder at frygte for at De haver givet ham formeget forud paa disse Tegninger, og haver beslutted inted mere at give ham førend han ganske haver fuldendt Tegningerne. Formatoren haver jeg Betalt 71. Scu 11 Ba som Restanse paa Grazierne[.] til Villiams haver jeg ogsaa betalt hvad De var ham skyldig. Kolb haver faaet hos mig 20 Scu 47 Ba som han havde lagt ud for Dem paa Reisen. Buti haver faaet 24 Scudi hos mig som Huseleie for det Værelse hvori Bronsteds Sager opbevares, jeg ved ikke om jeg deri haver giordt Ret, i at betale dette men jeg kunde ikke blive fri for deres Paaheng, endskiøndt jeg bad dem om at vænte idetminste til jeg haude Deres Mening derom. Canini haver ogsaa været hos mig om Huuseleie men da jeg sagde ham at jeg haabede at De selv snart kom igien til Rom, saa vilde han dog hellere vænte til De selv betalte ham, Madamme Anna Maria hænter hvær Maan[e]d sine 15 Scudi. Jeg haver sa[a]ledes givet Deres Høivælbaarendh[e]d en liden Oversigt over de større Summer som jeg haver havt at betale der er nu ogsaa mange Smaating som hvis jeg skulde nævne dem vilde giøre mit Brev for vitløftig. men i mine Bøger haver jeg aldt opskreven intil den minste Ting, og kan fremvise Qviteringer for aldt. Herr Kolb haver besøgt mig, jeg haver viist ham mine Regnskaber, og han gav mig en Compliment, for den Maade hvorpaa jeg fører mine Bøger, om jeg fortiente denne vil De selv engang kunde bestemme. Med min Samvittighed er jeg enig om, at den Maade hvorpaa jeg forvalter Deres Sager er overenstemmende med Ære, og Ret, og tør altsaa ikke tvivle paa, at den vil finde Deres, min Høiagtede Vælynders! Tilfredshed. Den totale Summe som jeg til Dato haver givet ud, beløber sig til 532 Scudi. altsaa, de rede Penge som De gav mig, ere for det meste brugte, og ret snart seer jeg mig nød til at tage min Tilflugt til den Anvisning paa Torlonia som De anbetrode mig, for at have Midler til at fulende de Arbeider som De haver befalet mig. De vil have modtaget et Brev fra Savonelli hvori han haver fortalt hele Afæren med Gatti, jeg vil altsaa ikke gientage dette, men kun hilse Dem paa det Vænskabeligste fra Savonelli som ogsaa er i Arbeide med et Brev til Dem, hvori han ennu udførligere vil afhandle denne Sag. Savonelli arbeider i Studiet og vi sees saaledes hver Dag, og hielper hværandre med Raad, og Daad, Saa meget for denne Gang om Deres Sager Herr Conferenseraad. De tillader nu godhedsfuld at jeg ogsaa taler et Par Ord om mine egne Ting, og her seer jeg mig atter nød til at gientage hvad jeg Skrev i mit forrige Brev, thi De Skriver mig at jeg kan snart vænte Tegningen, og paa MonomentetV Maalet, paa Busten, et obenbart Bevis paa at De ikke haver modtaget mit Brev, thi deri fortalte jeg navnlig følgende, Omtrent 8 Dage efter at De havde forladtVI Rom ankom et Brev fra Danmark med Udskrift til Dem, men da jeg kiente Haanden, og saa at det var fra Oberst von RosenbergVII, altsaa angaaende Monomented hvilket De haver havt den særdeles Godhed at give mig at udføre, saa tog jeg ikke i betænkning at brække BrevetVIII, for at sette mig i Besidelse af Tegningen som deri fantes, tillige med de bestemte Maal paa Basriliefferne, saa væl som Busten, Brevet indehaaldt ikke andet en naagle udmærkede Høflighedsbeviser til Dem, og et Spørgsmaal om hvorledes og paa hvilken Maade De vilde have Pengene tilsent, Da nu intet manglede mig i at begynde paa Arbeidet end netop Penge, saa SkrevIX jeg til Oberst Rosenberg i Skanderborg om han vilde have den godhed at sende mig en fierde Deel af Summen nemlig 1000 Rbd som Forskud paa Arbeidet for at sette mig istand til at kiøbe Marmor, og at betale de nødvændige Arbeider, men jeg haver aldeles inted Svar faaet enskiøn[t] det nu nesten er 10 Uger siden, saa jeg begynder at frygte for at da De nu ikke lengere befinder Dem i Rom saa haver man maaske tabt Tiltroen til mig, og vaaver ikke at betroe mig dette Arbeide, paa hvilket jeg haver bygget hele Haabet for min videre Egsistens i RomX. Dog er jeg vis paa at kun et par linier fra Deres Haand til Herr Oberst Rosenberg i Skanderborg vil være tilstrækkelige til at give ham den nødvændige Tiltroe til mig, saa at der bliver givet mig Leilighed til at begynde dette Arbeide hvortil jeg haver glædet mig saa meget, og hvorfor jeg ikke noksom kan takke Dem. Jeg beder derfor Deres Høivælbaarenhed ret instendig, ja! og haaber det sikkert at De til al Deres anden Godhed for mig ogsaa vil lægge den ret snart at skrive et par Ord til Obersten for at bringe Rigtighed i denne Sag som ligger mig saa meget paa Hiertet, Mahleren Wilmer har været hos mig, han siger at De haver ønsket at han skulde Mahle det Billede som De haver kiøbt af ham paa Lær[r]ed, han haver derfor villet have Stykket for at kunde gientage det, jeg haver ikke givet ham det, jeg vænter derfor Deres Fuldmagt til at tillade ham at begiere det, som han i hvært Tilfælde ønsker selv om De vil behaalde det som de [sic] haver.
[På et lille, løstliggende stykke papir:]
Jeg beder paa det instendigste at De godhedsfuld saa snart som deres Tid tillader det vilde sende mig, om ikke alle Tegningerne til Monomentet, saa dog idetminste en eller to, tillige med svar om jeg maa lade Wilmer kopiere Mahleriet. Og om jeg skal betale Canini, for Huuseleien, Jeg beder at hilse Frue Paulsen og Her Obersten.
Prins Vilhelms Søn er ankommet hertil og haver i gaar den 14 besøgt Deres Studier. Jeg ønskede at vide om Basrilieffet Christus i Emaus skal giøres færdigt, og om De ellers haver noget at befale mig.
Da Reinhort, Vagner, Nadorp og hele vores Aftenselskab i Kneipen paa Piazza Barberini, immer naar de møtte mig spurgte mig om jeg ikke viste hvorledes det gik Dem i Kiøbenhavn og om det var sandt at De var saa farlig syg i en Fod, uden at jeg var istand til tilfredsstillende at kunde besvare disse Spørgsmaale, saa besluttede jeg nu da jeg havde faaet Deres Brev, atter engang at besøge denne Kneipe (som Vagner nu haver døbt Sapienzza) for at glæde disse Herrer med Efterretningen om deres fuldkomne Vælbefindende. Man klinkede, og drak, paa Deres fremdeles Sundhed, og lader Dem paa det Vænskabeligste hilse, tillige skal jeg hilse fra Flohr, og Mathie, og fra alle de Danske uden Un[d]tagelse. Fra mig selv være De hilset med største Høiagtelse, jeg ønsker Dem at leve væl intil jeg atter haver den Ære at see Dem, og saaledes underskriver jeg mig med Ærbødighed, Deres Høivælbaarenheds troe og lydige
C F Holbeck
Rome January 15th 1843
The letter which baroness Stampe has been so kind to write to me at your request has pleased me extremely as I see from it that you are in good health. Rumour has been abroad here in Rome that you were very ill in one of your legs which has made me rather sad. This rumour even if it is not completely untrue has at least not been as bad as it was commonly held, your letter seems to make this certain and my joy to know that you are happy and able to execute your wonderful art can only be understood by one who is familiar with my unlimited esteem for you and who knows how much I am obliged to you. On the other hand, I am sorry to see from the same letter, but very certain, that you have not received my letter of November 22nd 1842, how this has happened I do not understand but I take it for certain that it has been lost as I do not find answers to any of my questions, so I suppose it will be necessary to repeat some of the contents of my last letter together with what I now have to write about. For information about the progress of your work the first part will serve.
Baboni has now worked 10 weeks at the Graces and has received 54 scudi during that time. The group still stands against the wall but it is exposed to view from the block so much at the front that I dare say for certain that there is only one spot on this side and it is on Cupid’s left arm. The Graces are completely clean, but the block as you know, is not very hard, the hope that it would become harder inside has not been realized. Scaramelli has worked 11 weeks at St Tadeus and has during that time received 66 scudi he still has about 6 weeks’ work to do on it, Gabbiati has not yet quite finished Jesus in Emaus, for as I know that this work is not urgent I have let him help me with some minor things on my bas-relief as he works very well. He has received 38 scudi for this[.] The bas-relief Venus, and Cupid stung by the bee has been finished and Signor Gioseppe now works at Poninochi’s bust, he has received 30 scudi for these works[.] Camia has not yet finished the Apostles he works in other studios and besides he has got some information from some English ladies, he lets himself be seen only very rarely in your studio, and I am beginning to fear that you have given him too much in advance for these drawings and have decided not to give him any more until he has finished the drawings completely. I have paid the formator 71 scudi 11 bajocci as arrears at the Graces[.] I have also paid Villiams what you owed him. Kolb has received from me 20 scudi 47 bajocci which he had laid out for you on the journey. Buti has received24 scudi from me as rent for the room in which Brondsted’s things are kept, I do not know if I did right in this, to pay this, but I could not get rid of their importunities, although I asked them to wait at least until I had your opinion about this. Canini has also seen me about rent, but as I told him that I hoped you yourself would soon again come to Rome he would rather wait until you paid him yourself. Madam Anna Maria fetches her 15 scudi every month. I have here given you, Sir, a small survey of the large sums which I have had to pay, but there are also many small items which would make my letter too circumstantial if I were to mention them. But in my books I have everything noted down till the least detail and can produce receipts for everything. Mr Kolb has visited me, I have shown him my accounts and he paid me a compliment for the way in which I keep my books, whether I deserved it you yourself will be able to decide. I am at peace with my conscience that the way I manage your matters is in accordance with law and honour and I thus do not doubt that it will meet with your approval, my dear benefactor. satisfaction. The total sum which up to now I have paid is 532 scudi, so the ready money that you gave me has mostly been spent and very soon it will be necessary for me to fall back on the cheque to Torlonia which you entrusted to me to have the means to fulfil the works which you have commissioned me to. You will have received a letter from Savonelli in which he has told all about the affair with Gatti, so I will not repeat this, but merely give you sincere regards from Savonelli who is also working at a letter to you in which he will discuss the matter in more details. Savonelli is working in the studio and so we see each other every day and help each other by word and deed, so much for this time about your affairs dear Sir Conferenseraad. Permit me now kindly to speak some words about my own affairs and here again I must repeat what I wrote in my last letter for you write to me that I can soon expect the drawing and the measure of the monument, of the bust, an obvious proof that you have not received my letter as in that I told you the following, About 8 days after you had left Rome a letter from Denmark arrived with your address, but as I knew the hand and saw that it was from colonel von Rosenberg about the monument which you have been so kind as to let me carry out, I did not hesitate to break the seal to take possession of the drawing which was in it as well as the definite measure of the bas-reliefs and the bust, the letter contained nothing but some civilities for you and a question as to how you would like to have the money sent, as I now lacked nothing but money to begin the work I wrote to colonel Rosenberg in Skanderborg if he would be so kind to send me a fourth of the sum namely 1000 Rix-dollar as an advance on the work to make me able to buy marble and pay for the necessary works, but I have had no answer at all although almost 10 weeks have passed, so I begin to fear that since you are no longer in Rome there is perhaps no confidence in me, and I shall not be entrusted with this work on which I have built all hope for my further existence in Rome. However, I am convinced that only a couple of lines from your hand to colonel Rosenberg in Skanderborg will be sufficient to give him the necessary confidence in me so that I will be given the possibility to begin this work to which I have been looking very much forward and for which I cannot thank you enough. So I beg you, Sir, very sincerely. Yes! And hope certainly that you apart from all your other kindness towards me also will write a couple of words soon to the colonel to confirm correctness in this matter which is of vital concern to me, the painter Wilmer has seen me, he says that you want him to paint the picture which you have bought from him on canvas, therefore he wants the piece so that he can repeat it, I have not given it to him, I expect your authority to permit him to claim that which at any rate he wishes even if you want to keep the one you have.
[on a small loose piece of paper:]
I most earnestly ask that you kindly will send me, as soon as you have time, if not all the drawings for the monument then at least one or two besides an answer to whether I can let Wilmer copy the painting. And whether I shall pay Canini, for rent, I ask you to give my regards to Mrs Paulsen and the colonel.
Prince Vilhelm’s son has arrived here and has yesterday the 14th visited your studios. I wanted to know whether the bas-relief Christ in Emaus is to be finished and whether you beside that have anything to order me.
As Reinhort, Vagner, Nadorp and all our evening party in the pub at Piazza Barberini always asked when they met me if I knew how you were in Copenhagen and whether it was true that you were so terribly ill in a foot without my being able to answer these questions satisfactorily when I had your letter I decided once more to visit this pub (which Vagner has now baptized Sapienzza) to please these gentlemen with the information about your complete well-being. They touched glasses, drank, on your health, and I give you their kind regards, also regards from Flohr, and Mathie, and from all the Danes without exception. From me myself sincere regards, I wish you good health until I have the honour to see you again, so I sign faithfully, Sir, your obedient
C F Holbeck.
[Translated by Karen Husum]
Dette brev rummer nogle bemærkninger om, at Thorvaldsen havde bedt Holbech om, at hugge en buste og fire relieffer i marmor. Faktisk havde Thorvaldsen samme dag som Holbech daterede dette brev, 15.1.1843 allerede bedt sin bankier Karl von Kolb, om at få udbetalt den nødvendige pengesum til Holbech. Dermed blev Holbech i stand til at indkøbe den nødvendige marmor til Frederik 6.s monument, Skanderborg Slotsbanke.
Sidst opdateret 15.10.2020
Den danske forfatter Christine Stampe.
Thorvaldsen havde på dette tidspunkt smerter i benene, hvilket altså må være kommet Holbech for øre. Se i øvrigt kronologien 3.12.1842.
Det omtalte brev kendes pt. ikke. Det kunne altså tyde på, at brevet aldrig nåede frem til Thorvaldsen, hvilket Holbech jo også hævder.
Dvs. den italienske tegner Leonardo Camia, der fra 1821 tegnede adskillige af Thorvaldsens værker til brug ved grafiske reproduktioner.
Dvs. Frederik 6.s monument, Skanderborg Slotsbanke. Se artiklen herom, Et tvetydigt monument.
Thorvaldsen forlod for sidste gang Rom, jf. kronologien 1.10.1842.
Den danske officer Gottfried Rosenberg, der var medlem af Frederik 6.-kommissionen, der stod for opførelsen af monumentet.
Dvs. bryde brevets segl, jf. Ordbog over det danske Sprog, 1.2 brække et brev.
Gottfried Rosenberg omtaler i brevet af 27.12.1842, at han 23.11.1842 havde fået brev fra Holbech, der anmodede om penge til at indkøbe marmor for.
Holbechs frygt var måske nok forståelig, men samme dag 15.1.1843 havde Thorvaldsen faktisk skrevet til sin bankier Karl von Kolb og bedt ham udbetale den fornødne pengesum til Holbech. Dette var Holbech af gode grunde ikke klar over på dette tidspunkt.