The visit to the studio of Thorvaldsen

In the catalogue of the 1899 exhibition at the Thorvaldsen Museum, where the picture won the Neuhausen prize, it was described as follows: 'Visitors in Thorvaldsen's studio. The master shows and explains to two young women the relief of The Age of Love.' The identity of the visitors is unknown, and they were certainly imaginary, as the painting (which is dated 1899) was executed fifty-five years after Thorvaldsen's death. A couple are taking their three daughters on an educational art visit to the studio of the famous sculptor. As pointed out by M. William Gelius, curator at the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen, the real content of the painting is an anecdote: the educational art trip taking a suspicious turn. The experienced old artist looks intensely at the young beauties, surrounded by sculptures that emphasize the joy of living and love: to the left is Thorvaldsen's Dancer (1817), on the easel is the relief of The Ages of Love (1824), in the background is Ganymede with Jupiter's eagle (1817) and to the right is Adonis (1808).

We are grateful to M. William Gelius for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.