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Thorvaldsen's Workshop Practice

See Related Article on this subject: Thorvaldsen's Workshop Practice

See also: Copying Antiquity · Marble Carving · Thorvalden's Assistants · Thorvaldsen's Workshops · Workshop Accounts

30.6.1798

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Kunstakademiet, København

Thorvaldsen informs the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts that he has sent two samples of his wor...

After 23.3.1803, before summer 1803

Finelli & Keller

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Thorvaldsen’s contract with the sculptors Pietro Finelli and Heinrich Keller concerning the deliv...

17.1.1804

Nicolai Abildgaard

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Abildgaard is happy about Thorvaldsen’s success in Rome. He has received the busts Thorvaldsen se...

Omkring 1.2.1804

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Herman Schubart

Thorvaldsen thanks Schubart and his sister Charlotte Schimmelmann for the efforts they are making...

Efter 16.7. og senest 6.8.1804

Bertel Thorvaldsen

J.L. Lund

Thorvaldsen asks Lund to take care of his studio while he is gone. He thanks him for having assis...

6.8.1804

Bertel Thorvaldsen

J.L. Lund

Thorvaldsen thanks Lund for having assisted him in a financial matter but asks him not to give an...

11.8.1804

J.L. Lund

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Lund thanks Thorvaldsen for his letter and looks forward to their reunion in Rome. He informs Tho...

16.8.1805

C.F.F. Stanley

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Stanley teases Thorvaldsen because he has not heard from him for a long time, but suddenly a lett...

24.8.1805

C.F.F. Stanley

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Stanley has received a letter from the mayor of Copenhagen concerning Gotskalk Thorvaldsen’...

30.8.1805

C.F.F. Stanley

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Stanley ironically describes his amazement at having received two letters from Thorvaldsen. He al...

30.8.1805

Camillo Landini

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Stanley has given Landini a letter from Thorvaldsen, who is at Montenero, and asks for news about...

7.9.1805

C.F.F. Stanley

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Stanley’s health is tolerable. Anna Maria Uhden is also well, as is Thorvaldsen’s dog...

16.9.1805

Herman Schubart

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Schubart hopes that Thorvaldsen has arrived safely in Rome. He mentions the mortally ill Caspar B...

18.10.1805-26.4.1806

Camillo Landini

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Landini signs for the payment received from Thorvaldsen for the carving of Bacchus.

23.1.1807

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Conrad Rantzau

Thorvaldsen tells Conrad Rantzau how work on his commissions is progressing. The portrait bust, c...

Efter 15.6.1807

Bertel Thorvaldsen

C.F. Hansen

Thorvaldsen has received his advance for the works for Christiansborg Palace and Copenhagen town ...

22.10.1808

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Charlotte Schimmelmann

Thorvaldsen informs Schimmelmann that the baptismal font, cf. A555,1, A555,2, A555,3, A555,4, whi...

4.2.1809

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Herman Schubart

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

25.7.1809

Camillo Landini

Bertel Thorvaldsen

After a few weeks in Florence, Landini has reached Carrara. He tells Thorvaldsen that he is grate...

19.7.1811

Christian Daniel Rauch

Caroline von Humboldt

Rauch writes that Thorvaldsen has finished Cupid Holding a Butterfly to Hurt it with an Arrow and...

15.9.1811

Antonio Moglia

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Receipt for payment of Antonio Moglia’s marble work on the relief Venus, Mars and Cupid in ...

17.12.1812

Christian Daniel Rauch

Caroline von Humboldt

Like Thorvaldsen, Rauch intends to have his portrait statue roughhewn by his assistants. He state...

6.10.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of October 1816.

Antagelig 12.10.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of October 1816.

19.10.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of October 1816.

26.10.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of October 1816.

1.11.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the last week of October 1816.

9.11.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of November 1816.

15.11.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of November 1816.

23.11.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of November 1816.

30.11.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of November 1816.

7.12.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of December 1816.

14.12.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of December 1816.

22.12.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of December 1816.

24.12.1816

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the days before Christmas 1816.

Antagelig 1816-1818

George Hayter

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The british painter Hayter asks Thorvaldsen for a very small portion of clay.

July 1817

Redaktørerne ved Athene, Rasmus Emil Bruun

Christian Molbech, NN

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

11.1.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of January 1817.

18.1.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of January 1817.

1.2.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the week before February 1st 1817.

8.2.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of February 1817.

15.2.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of February 1817.

Antagelig 1.3.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts presumably for the last week of February 1817.

8.3.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of March 1817.

22.3.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of March 1817.

29.3.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of March 1817.

5.4.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of April 1817.

12.4.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of April 1817.

19.4.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Studio account for the third week of April 1817.

26.4.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of April 1817.

3.5.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the workdays of the week 28.4.1817-3.5.1817.

10.5.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of May 1817.

17.5.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of May 1817.

24.5.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of May 1817.

31.5.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fifth week of May 1817.

7.6.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of June 1817.

14.6.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of June 1817.

12.7.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of July 1817.

19.7.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of July 1817.

2.8.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the week of late July-early August 1817.

31.10.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fifth week of October 1817.

15.11.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of November 1817.

22.11.1817

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of November 1817.

23.12.1817

Caroline von Humboldt

Christian Daniel Rauch

Thorvaldsen has completed Goddess of Hope, A47, which Caroline von Humboldt greatly admires. The ...

17.1.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of January 1818.

7.3.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of March 1818.

14.3.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of March 1818.

14.3.1818

Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom

Erik Gustaf Geijer

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

28.3.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of March 1818.

23.4.1818

Peder Hjort

Omnes

The commentary for this article is not available at the moment.

Antagelig tidligst maj 1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts concerning work on the clay bozzetto for The Graces, cf. A30, the clay model fo...

6.5.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of May 1818.

9.5.1818

Herman Schubart

Christian 8.

Schubart assures the concerned Christian Frederik that the Alexander Frieze for Frederik 6.’s new...

23.5.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of May 1818.

30.5.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of May 1818.

11.7.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of July 1818.

18.7.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of July 1818.

29.8.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of August 1818.

5.9.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of September 1818.

12.9.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of September 1818.

19.9.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of September 1818.

26.9.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of September 1818.

3.10.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the week of late September-early October 1818.

10.10.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of October 1818.

17.10.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of October 1818.

24.10.1818

Stanisław Mokronowski

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Mokronowski writes that since his last letter to Thorvaldsen he has collected all the pictures of...

31.10.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fifth week of October 1818.

7.11.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of November 1818.

22.11.1818

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for one or several weeks in November 1818.

29.11.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of November 1818.

5.12.1818

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of December 1818.

9.1.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of January 1819.

16.1.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of January 1819.

25.1.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of January 1819.

30.1.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of January 1819.

6.2.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of February 1819.

13.2.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of February 1819.

14.2.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of February 1819.

27.2.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of February 1819.

13.3.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of March 1819.

15.3.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for one week in the first half of March 1819, probably the second week.

20.3.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of March 1819.

21.3.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of March 1819.

28.3.1819

Peder Brønnum Scavenius

Peder Brønnum Scavenius

Scavenius and Brøndsted called on Thorvaldsen, but they did not speak to him as he was busy worki...

3.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the week 29.3.-3.4.1819.

4.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the week 29.3.-4.4.1819.

11.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the second week of April 1819.

18.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of April 1819.

24.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of April 1819.

25.4.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the fourth week of April 1819.

1.5.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the last week of April until May 1st 1819.

8.5.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of May 1819.

22.5.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the third week of May 1819.

27.5.1819

Rud Bay

Gottlieb Schønheyder

Rud Bay describes his frequent visits to Thorvaldsen’s studio and his fascination when watching h...

28.5.1819

P.O. Brøndsted

Andreas Christian Gierlew

Brøndsted thanks Gierlew for his letter. He is currently editing his investigations from his expe...

6.6.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for the first week of June 1819.

17.6.1819

Heinrich Keller

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Keller presses Thorvaldsen for the completion of the model for Dying Lion (The Lucerne Lion), cf....

17.7.1819-5.1.1822

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Accounts for payment of wages to Thorvaldsen’s assistants for the marble carving of Dancing Girl,...

17.7.1819-9.2.1822

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Accounts of payments of wages to Thorvaldsen’s assistants for work on: Two marble copies of Wi...

3.7.1819

Heinrich Keller

Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen

Keller writes that the model for Dying Lion (The Lucerne Lion), cf. A119, has been completed and ...

14.8.1819-30.10.1819

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Accounts for payment of wages to Thorvaldsen’s assistants for work on Jurij Aleksándrovitj Golóvk...

7.8.1819

Heinrich Keller

Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen

Keller reports that both models of the monument Dying Lion (The Lucerne Lion), cf. A119, have be...

14.8.1819

Heinrich Keller

Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen

Keller gives instructions concerning measurements and special circumstances in connection with th...

2.10.1819

P.O. Brøndsted

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Brøndsted blames Thorvaldsen for not travelling to Denmark by the route recommended to him. Brønd...

23.10.1819 - 9.6.1821

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Workshop accounts for carving the marble version of Monument to Stanislaus Chaudoir’s Wife, cf. A...

23.10.1819

Redaktørerne ved Nyeste Skilderie af Kjøbenhavn

Omnes

The commentary for this document is not available at the moment.

26.10.1819

Redaktørerne ved Fyens Stiftstidende

Omnes

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

3.12.1819

Hermann Ernst Freund

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Freund tells Thorvaldsen about the progress of work in the workshop in Rome. He mentions the work...

5.1.1820

Herman Schubart

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

6.1.1820

Christian 8.

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

16.1.1820

Pietro Tenerani

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

Summer 1820

Christian Molbech

Omnes

Molbech’s account of his visit to Rome, in which he compares Thorvaldsen and Canova and describes...

9.11.1820

Hermann Ernst Freund

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Freund tells Thorvaldsen about the accident that took place 8.11.1820 in one of Thorvaldsen’s wor...

1821

Sydney Morgan

Omnes

Extract from Lady Morgan’s book Italy mentioning Thorvaldsen’s workshops.

26.2.1821

Christian 8.

Christian 8.

Thorvaldsen and Rudolf Schadow model and others draw the beautiful Vittoria Caldoni, whom August ...

17.3.1821-26.12.1822

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Accounts of repairs on a marble version of Cupid Triumphant, cf. A22, which had been damaged in t...

16.6.1821

Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom

Erik Gustaf Geijer

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

Juli 1821 - februar 1822

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Accounts of expenses for live models at Thorvaldsen’s studio.

1822-1826

F.C. Hillerup

Omnes

Hillerup describes Thorvaldsen’s residence and workshops in Rome.

7.1.1822

Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound

Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound

The Earl of Minto describes a visit to Thorvaldsen’s and Canova’s workshops and compa...

24.5.1822

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Alexander 1.

A note that two busts of the Tsar have been shipped from Rome. Thorvaldsen swears that each strok...

24.5.1822

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Alexander 1.

A note that two busts of the Tsar have been shipped from Rome. Thorvaldsen swears that each strok...

15.6.1822

P.O. Brøndsted

Jens Møller

Brøndsted describes a trip he has made in the company of Thorvaldsen and his assistant, Tenerani....

21.7.1823

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Nicola Maria Nicolai

Thorvaldsen asks Nicolai to help him settle a legal matter for his assistant Pietro Tenerani. A b...

2.8.1824

Frederico Gürtler

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Gürtler informs Thorvaldsen that he has packed and sent the young Baron Unico von Dörnberg’s deat...

31.8.1826

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Luigi Sommariva

Thorvaldsen responds to Sommariva’s letter of complaint regarding his father Giovanni Battista So...

27.7.1827

Johan Gunder Adler, Hermann Ernst Freund

Slotsbygningskommissionen

Adler writes to the Building Commission for Christiansborg Palace, quoting a letter dated 30.6.18...

2.2.1828

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Hermann Ernst Freund

Thorvaldsen requests information about the execution of the figure of Christ in Carrara. Freund i...

6.2.1828

Hermann Ernst Freund

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

Presumably 26.6.1828

H.W. Bissen

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bissen recounts his journey on foot to Florence and mentions that he has seen Thorvaldsen’s Chris...

21.8.1828

Pietro Antonio Bienaimé

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

22.9.1828

Pietro Antonio Bienaimé

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bienaimé states that the sculptor Andrea Bardi has worked for 47 days on the marble version of Th...

27.2.1829

Redaktørerne ved Kjøbenhavnsposten

Omnes

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

5.4.1829

NN

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Helene invites Thorvaldsen to come to her two days later.

11.4.1829

Luigi Bienaimé

Bertel Thorvaldsen

The commentary for this account is not available at the moment.

18.8.1829

Luigi Bienaimé

Giovanni Domenico Anguillesi

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

1831

Rembrandt Peale

Omnes

Peale describes his impression of Thorvaldsen, his works, and his studio practice. He is critical...

12.12.1831

Christian 8.

Bertel Thorvaldsen

For unknown reasons, the letter has been severely damaged. See instead the draft of the letter fo...

24.10.1832

Luigi Bienaimé

Franz Erwein von Schönborn

Bienaimé has heard from the sculptor Emil Wolff that Schönborn considers having Bienaimé execute ...

27.4.1833

Christian 8.

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Christian (8.) Frederik is looking forward to seeing Thorvaldsen again in Copenhagen in the autum...

16.7.1833

Pietro Antonio Bienaimé

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bienaimé is at Carrara, where the marble statue of Crist, cf. A82, has been ready for shipment to...

22.2.1834

Redaktørerne ved Kjøbenhavnsposten

Omnes

The art lovers of Copenhagen are told what the reasons are why it has not yet been possible to ex...

8.3. - 26.7.1834

Ludwig von Hofer

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Hofer acknowledges receipt of payment for work on the marble versions of the reliefs Pan and a Sa...

14.3.1834

NN

Omnes

The commentary for this document is not available at the moment.

2.11.1835

Marie Lehmann

Marie Lehmann

Marie Puggaard describes her and her parents’ first visit to Thorvaldsen. He surpasses all their ...

16.11.1836

Redaktørerne ved Allgemeine Zeitung

Omnes

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

30.11.1836

NN

Omnes

The commentary to this document is not available at the moment.

22.9.1837

Wilhelm Fredric A. Dalman

Omnes

The commentary for this document is not available at the moment.

1839 [1837]

A.F. Elmquist

Omnes

The commentary for this document is not available at the moment.

18.2.1841

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Just Mathias Thiele

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

24.12.1841

H.P. Holst

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Poem presented to Thorvaldsen together with a modelling tool, a “Pousseerstok”. The French word “...

28.6.1844

Redaktørerne ved Berlingske Tidende

Omnes

The clay model for Aesculapius, cf. the sketch A20, crashes in Thorvaldsen’s studio.

23.8.1844 og 14.7.1845

Johann Scholl

Eksekutorerne for Thorvaldsens bo

Scholl testifies that the version of the relief The Graces Listening to Cupid’s Song , A602 that ...

31.8.1849

NN

Ludvig Müller, Omnes

The commentary for this document is not available at the moment.