Copenhagen

T H E SIGHTS OF COPENHAGEN.

harmonized w ith his own nature. And that nature was a no r­ thern, or, to be even m ore correct, a typically Danish one, comparatively passionless, inclined to take life and all its dispensations philosophically, w ithout loss of equanim ity. W ith his calm tem peram ent he looked placidly and good - naturedly upon men and gods, and a sly smile would often pass th rough his soul and into his art, especially when dealing with Cupid and his caprices. He gave form almost exclusively

to purity and goodness, b rig h t­ ness and happiness. Pain, m is­ fortune, consum ing passion, great suffering of every kind, he preferred to avoid. Hence the wealth of you th and beauty which meets the eye in this m u ­ seum, and hence also possibly the strong impression p roduced by T ho rvald sen ’s art. Next to Jason, Hebe (1806) and Adonis (1808) may be spe­ cially m entioned am ong his chief works; also the large bas-

PORTRAIT OF THORVALDSEN,

PAINTED BY ECKERSBERG

relief, The Entrance of A lexander into Babylon (1812), which one may almost say he improvised, in three m onths, for a hall in the Palace of the Quirinal, on the occasion of the ex­ pected visit of Napoleon to Rome; the two w orld-renow ned bas-reliefs N igh t and Day (1815); G anym ede with the Eagle of Jupiter, and Venus (1816); the Shepherd Boy and Hope (1817); M ercury the A rgos Slayer (1818). In 1819 Thorvaldsen paid a visit to his native country. In Copenhagen he go t many orders — a whole series of works for the principal church, Frue Kirke (Church' of O u r Lady), and for C h ristiansborg castle, both at that time in process of rebuilding. From o ther places too he received so many orders that on his return to Rome he was obliged to enlarge his

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