I turned 44 in June. I have this tradition – when possible – of not being in Belgium for my birthday. From Sweden in 2013 to the Châteaux of the Loire Valley in 2014, Lake Orta in 2015, Rome in 2016, London in 2018, North Carolina and Virginia in 2019, England in 2022, and Rotterdam in 2023. In June 2025, I headed to Copenhagen in Denmark with Steve.

The last major activity we undertook was visiting the Thorvaldsen Museum near Christiansborg. The Thorvaldsen Museum (without genitive according to Wikipedia,), Thorvaldsen’s Museum (with genitive according to the museum site, which includes the s in the url) or Thorvaldsens Museum (in Danish) is dedicated to the life and works of Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (19 November 1770 – 24 March 1844). I learned the artist is named Thorvaldsen and not ‘Thor Valdsen‘. 

Who was Bertel Thorvaldsen?

Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen, who witnessed the French Recolution and Napoleon’s invasion of Rome – was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor and medallist, widely recognised as one of the leading figures of Neoclassical sculpture in Europe. He spent most of his working life in Rome, where he rose to international prominence for his heroic and classically inspired works.

Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a modest family. His father, Gottskálk Þorvaldsson, was an Icelander who worked as a wood-carver in a shipyard, creating decorative carvings for vessels. His mother, Karen Dagnes, was of Jutland peasant origin. 

Despite uncertainty surrounding his exact birth date—some sources suggest 1768—Thorvaldsen was confirmed in 1787, which provides the earliest reliable record of his youth. He later claimed descent from Snorri Thorfinnsson, the first European born in the Americas. His early education remains unclear, and he was never an accomplished writer or student of high culture.

At the age of eleven, Thorvaldsen was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen, first as a draftsman, then progressing to the modelling school in 1786. He continued to assist his father with wood-carving at night. 

Influenced by leading figures such as Nicolai Abildgaard and Johannes Wiedewelt, he excelled at the Academy, winning several medals and prizes. In 1793 he received the Academy’s gold medal for a relief depicting St. Peter healing a cripple, which earned him a royal stipend to pursue further studies in Rome. 

He departed Copenhagen aboard the frigate Thetis in August 1796, reached Palermo by January 1797, and arrived in Rome on 8 March—a date he would later commemorate as his ‘Roman birthday’.

When in Rome…

Settling in Rome, Thorvaldsen was mentored by Danish archaeologist Georg Zoëga, who cultivated his appreciation for classical antiquity. He also studied with the artist Asmus Jacob Carstens, whose treatment of mythological themes proved highly influential. Thorvaldsen’s breakthrough came with his model for ‘Jason‘ in 1801, which was praised by Antonio Canova. 

Though his stipend had expired and he initially planned to return to Denmark, he received a commission in 1803 to produce the statue in marble from the English collector Thomas Hope. The commission secured his place in the Roman art world, and he remained in Italy for the next sixteen years.

Thorvaldsen’s studio at the Palazzo Barberini became a prolific workshop, with many assistants executing marble carvings based on his models. He limited himself primarily to sketches and finishing touches. 

His early masterpieces included ‘Cupid and Psyche‘, ‘Dance of the Muses‘ at ‘Helicon‘, and numerous mythological figures such as ‘Apollo‘ and ‘Adonis‘. Among the few works carved entirely by his own hand is ‘Adonis’, commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria and completed in 1832.

Thorvaldsen led a complicated personal life. He had a long-term relationship with Anna Maria von Uhden, with whom he had a daughter, Elisa. He was briefly engaged to a Scottish woman, Frances Mackenzie, but the engagement ended when Thorvaldsen became enamoured with another woman, Fanny Caspers.

Visit and return to Denmark

In 1819 he made a celebrated visit to Denmark, during which he was commissioned to create a monumental series of statues of ‘Christ and the Twelve Apostles‘ for the reconstruction of the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen. 

These sculptures, which exemplify his mature style, were executed in Rome and completed in time for his triumphant return to Denmark in 1838. That year, the Thorvaldsen’s Museum was founded in his honour near Christiansborg Palace, built to house his extensive body of work.

Thorvaldsen died suddenly on 24 March 1844 after attending a dinner with the writer Adam Oehlenschläger and Hans Christian Andersen. Earlier that day, he had sketched a final composition—a chalk drawing of a spirit figure on a blackboard. 

He had left the bulk of his estate for the creation of the museum, requesting that his artworks, models, and collection of antiquities be placed there. As per his wish, he was buried in the museum’s courtyard, beneath a bed of roses.

Thorvaldsen’s style

Thorvaldsen’s style was rooted in a strict Neoclassicism, influenced by ancient Greek art and ideals of harmony, proportion, and form. Unlike Canova, whose figures were more sensual and expressive, Thorvaldsen’s sculptures often embodied a sense of noble restraint and austere grace. 

His subjects were drawn primarily from classical mythology, history, and literature, and he produced numerous portrait busts and monumental statues for patrons across Europe.

Among his most famous works are the tomb monument of Pope Pius VII in St. Peter’s Basilica—the only sculpture by a non-Catholic artist in the Vatican—and public monuments such as the seated figure of Nicolaus Copernicus and the equestrian statue of Józef Poniatowski in Warsaw. 

Lucerne

He also created the ‘Lion Monument‘ in Lucerne, commemorating the Swiss Guards who died defending the French royal family during the Revolution, and the ‘Gutenberg Denkmal‘ in Mainz, honouring the inventor of the printing press.

His most widely recognised religious sculpture is the ‘Christus‘, originally created for the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen. 

A full-sized replica stands in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square, and the image has become iconic within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Replicas now appear in multiple locations around the world, from Rome to Brazil and the United States, and even in a Swedish church made from Lego bricks.

Legacy

Thorvaldsen’s legacy lies not only in his technical mastery but in his ability to render classical ideals with monumental clarity and emotional resonance. His sculptures are noted for their balanced composition, rhythmic lines, and clarity of form, visible from all angles. 

While later art movements moved away from Neoclassicism, his contemporaries viewed him as the embodiment of artistic perfection. His works remain central to European Neoclassical heritage and are preserved in major museums, above all the Thorvaldsen’s Museum in Copenhagen, which stands as a unique tribute to a singular artist.

Thorvalden’s Museum

Situated on the small island of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, adjacent to Christiansborg Palace, Thorvaldsen’s Museum was designed by the architect Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll. Construction took place between 1838 and 1848, funded by a public subscription initiated in 1837.

The proposal to establish a museum for Thorvaldsen arose during the mid-1830s. In December 1836, a committee was formed at the initiative of Hans Puggaard, comprising notable figures such as Joakim Frederik Schouw, Henrik Nicolai Clausen, Niels Laurits Høyen, Hermann Ernst Freund, Jonas Collin, and Just Mathias Thiele. 

A national fundraising campaign was launched on 10 January 1837. At a general assembly held on 21 June that year, fifteen individuals were elected to the museum board, including Clausen, Thiele, Collin, Høyen, Freund, Schouw, Gustav Friedrich Hetsch, and Herman Wilhelm Bissen, among others. 

Additional alternates included figures such as Joseph Hambro, Carl Moltke, Hans Christian Ørsted, and Heinrich Reventlow-Criminil.

Classic revival

The architectural style of the building is heavily influenced by ancient Greek design and centres around an inner courtyard, where Thorvaldsen is interred. The courtyard is decorated with Egyptian motifs, featuring tall date palms, crocodiles, lions, and various exotic flora and fauna. 

While the interior is vivid and rich in colour, with each room showcasing individual ceiling decorations in the grotesque style, the Egyptian influence on the building’s exterior is more restrained. 

Large, trapezoidal doors emphasise the architect’s intention to merge Attic Greek, Pompeiian, and Egyptian stylistic elements. A prominent exterior feature is the frieze along the façade, created by Jørgen Sonne, which depicts Thorvaldsen’s return to Copenhagen in 1838.

The museum houses an extensive collection of Thorvaldsen’s sculptures, both in marble and in the original plaster forms used for casting bronze and marble works now located in institutions and public spaces worldwide. 

Alongside his sculptures, the museum contains paintings, antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, as well as drawings, prints, and personal items collected by Thorvaldsen during his life. Many of these objects offer insight into his artistic process and everyday routines.

A visit 

The collection is spread out on two floors plus the basement. Don’t forget the basement. The presentation is a bit dated, but that’s also its charm. The building and decor have a kitsch and camp vibe. 

Many depiction return as well. I’ve seen many Jasons, Ganymedes and shepard boys. I’m not complaining. Thorvaldsen liked depicting penises and I like to look at penises. Also in art. 

The museum is perhaps a bit niche, but if you like your classics, go visit. The museum is operated by the City of Copenhagen and forms part of the Historie & Kunst collective, which includes the Museum of Copenhagen and Kunsthallen Nikolaj. So one ticket gives you access to three museums within 48 hours. 

Copenhagen 2025

1. HOTEL REVIEW | Scandic Front in Copenhagen.
2. COPENHAGEN | Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
3. COPENHAGEN | Rosenborg Castle ft Danish Crown Regalia, Coronation Chair of Denmark and Kongens Have park.
4. COPENHAGEN | Gefion Fountain – Little Mermaid – Langelinie.
5. COPENHAGEN | Amalienborg Museum.
6. COPENHAGEN | Rundetårn or Round Tower.
7. DENMARK | The Museum of Copenhagen.
8. REVIEW | Restaurant Marv & Ben in Copenhagen.