Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-03

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nothing from his work. Thorvaldsen
had como TO the end Of his resources.
The Academy pension had been en-
tended 10 unprecedented limits, and,
with a heavy heart, the sculptor deter
mined to return TO Copenhagen, his
dreams but half realized. His humble eff
fec,s had been sold and his trunks
were packed and ready for the boat
when some informality about his pass
port occasioned delay. This delay
changed his future. A few hours later
an English banker entered his studio,
was struck with the grandeur OF the
Jason, and gave him an order for the
statue in marble. lie was thus enabled
TO remain in Italy. From this time
Thorvaldsen seems to have made his
work pay. II is strange, however. that
Mr.. Hopes Jason remained unfinished
until 1928, when IL was finally sent to
London twenty-five years after the first
instalment, paid by the banker, had en-
abled the sculptor to continue his work
in Italy.
The famous portrait Of Thorvaldsen,
by Vernet, hangs in one OF the rooms
Of the museum here. IL is painted
with great spirit, and is said TO be a
perfect likeness Of the sculptor in fea-
lures and expression. Vernet was one
Of Thoryaldsen's dearest friends. When
in Rome they were inseparable. and
from the time Of Vernet's departure
for his native country the sculptor Sc
riously began to contemplate leaving
| Rome.
Mendelssohn was another Of his
friends. ain my capacity as pianist
the great composer once wrote, IL
have enioyed a special pleasure here.
You know how ThorvaldSen loves
music. lie has a good instrument IN
his studio, and 60 to him sometimes
in the mornings and play to him while
he works. When | sec the artist han
ding his brown clay, giving the last
touches with his firm and delicate hand
to drapery or limb, when ! see him
creating those imperishable works
which will win the admiration Of pos
tcrity, | feel happy in that | can give
him pleasure.
AN AMUSING INTERVIEW.
Thoryaldsen loved clear, open, natu-
raj, charming simplicity of character,
and hence he found comfort in the So
ciety of MendelSSOhn. lie loved Sir
Walter Scott at first sight. Learned as
the Scotch minstrel was, he was versed
in no language but his own, and the
sculptor could not speak English. The
interview, as described by NJ. Kestner,
who witnessed it. must have been some
what amusing. The two famous men
met with the utmost cOrdiality, but
their conversation was singularly dis
connected. for it was entirely COM
posed of interections and monOsylla-
Lles. Each could understand few of
the others words - conoscen50 -
chGrme - plGiSir - happy - connais-
sance - piacere - delighted -heWe"r.
Unsatisfactory as this was, the two
friends seemed to understand each
other perfectly; they shook hands
heartily, clapped one another on the
shoulder, and were both delighted.
Thoryaldsen's own account Of the
visit Of Lord Byron shows that the
sculptor Gid not like brOoding melan-
choly, and that the two could never
have become friends. " 1t was at Rome
that had to DO Lord Byron's statue.
When my noble sitter arrived at my
studio be took his place in front Of me,
and Immediately put on strange air
entirely different from his natural
physiOgnOmy.
My Lord said |, have the good
ness to sit still, and may | beg Of YOU
not to assume such an expression Of
misery
THAT replied Byron. is the ex-
preston which characterizes my coun-
tenance.'
"'Really - said | ; and then, with
out troubling myself about the aaecta-
tion. worked on according to my own
ideas. When the bust was finished
every one thought it strikingly like
Byron. but the noble poet was by no
means satisfied with it.
- That face is not mine said he.
Il leok much more unhappy than
that
Fifteen years after this incident the
sculptor was asked by a committee to
undertake a statue Of Lord Byron, and
was offered $780, for the work. The
marble was not dispatched to London
until 1885. and then ten years elapsed
before a place could be found for it.
Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's church,
the British Museum, the National Gal
lery, and finally Kensal Green Gene
terry refused to receive the statue of a
poet whom they regarded as immoral
and irrelgious. At last, in lSi5, a
year after the sculptor's death, Trinity
college. Cambridge, where Byron had
graduated, offered to receive it, and the
statue was rescued from the vaults Of
the London custom-house, where it had
lain ID oblivion for a decade.
THE sCULpTOR's LIFE IN COPEN-
HAGEN.
Louis, Of Bavaria, and Christian
Frederick. of Denmark, were Thoryald-
sens two most intimate royal friends,
though he was a welcome visitor to the
palaces Of all the crowned heads Of Eu-
rope. Toward the latter part of his
life, and after his return TO his native
city, he formed the friendship of Hans
Andersen, and at his country residence
the evenings were spent listening to his
favorite melodies on the piano or to one
Of Andersen's charming stories as told
by the author himself. At night he
generally INDUCED in his favcrite game
of lotto.
BY no means the least important
parsonage during the sculptor'S de-
clining years was the faithful Wilkins,
who, as confidential servant, secretary,
and friend, has devoted his life to his
master. wilkins kept account of Thor
, ! valdsen's invitations. and it is said the
sculptor would not accept an invitation
10 dine with the King withOut first