Albert, an eminent sculptor, a native of Denmark. It is asserted by one of his biographers that his lineage could be traced from the ancient and royal house of Harold Hildebrandt; but if so, the fortunes of the family were not only humble, but it seems far from prosperous at the period of the young Albert's birth. His father, Gotskalk Thorwaldsen, an Icelander, was a carver in wood, and was employed, especially in executing ornamental figures, or what are known as figure-heads for ships. Gotskalk was travelling with his wife towards Copenhagen, in search of employment, when, between that city and a place called Rasiciawich, the subject of this memoir first saw the light. Albert Thorwaldsen was born on the 19th day of November in the year 1770.

It may be assumed, that the family was established in Copenhagen, as Albert, at the early age of twelve years, was admitted a student of the Academy of Fine Arts, where he received instruction from the painter Abildgaard. In 1787, he gained a silver medal; and, two years after, a gold one, for a composition of "Heliodorus driven from the Temple." In 1783, he received the highest reward that could be conferred on a student; this was the grand prize which carried with it the substantial advantage of an allowance, for a term of years, of 500 thalers, equal to rather more than one hundred pounds English. This provision placed it in his power to travel, and after some time he proceeded to Italy; then, as now, the great school for studying his art. He must, however, have remained some time longer in Copenhagen before he availed himself of his privilege; for his arrival in Rome, after a tedious voyage of ten months, in a Danish frigate, is dated in 1796.

It is said that Thorwaldsen had at one time serious doubts whether he should devote himself to the art in which he afterwards became so eminent. He was undecided whether he should choose sculpture or painting as a profession, till his visits to the Vatican, where so many masterpieces of sculpture are collected, determined his choice. But even after this he distrusted his power to succeed, and expressed his hopelessness that he should ever be able to approach, in any works he might produce, the excellence of the ancients. It is recorded that, with this feeling, he destroyed many of his works, in spite of the encouragement he received from his friends, who saw in him the promise of a great artist. Notwithstanding these occasional fits of depression he still laboured diligently, and modelled various works of Greek subjects, in all of which he showed how thoroughly he had studied the spirit of the ancient examples. But all this zeal and devotion had hitherto led to no profitable result in increasing his means. He had no commissions for his works; and he too well knew the time was expiring when he could reckon on the aid of his pension. The turning point of his fortunes was, however, at hand. Among the works he had completed was the model of a statue of Jason, of heroic size, naked, and bearing on his arm the golden fleece; a figure exhibiting an intimate acquaintance with Thorwaldsen, the human form, simple in treatment, and of a fine style of art. Mr Thomas Hope, the banker, happened to visit the studio of the young Dane. He was struck with the noble character of the "Jason," recognised at once the ability of the sculptor, and commissioned Thorwaldsen to execute it for him in marble. This timely assistance gave a fresh impulse to the exertions of our artist. The opportunity he had so ardently desired and so long waited for was now afforded him, and from this beginning may be traced an unceasing flow of employment and success. For the remainder of his career, till his death in 1844, he was constantly engaged in the active exercise of his art.

Thorwaldsen now determined to establish himself permanently in Italy, and, though he occasionally travelled to the north, Rome was his fixed residence. His studio occupied an extensive range of buildings, in the near neighbourhood of the Piazza Barberini.

It would not be possible in our limited space to describe particularly all the works deserving notice of this indefatigable artist. Of his numerous statues of Greek subjects, as Mars, Mercury, Ganymede, the Graces, Venus, Hebe, Psyche, and others of the pseudo-classical school, it is not necessary to say more than that they bear the stamp of the masterhand, and admirably imitate the idealised character of the best ancient examples. His statue of "Mercury watching Argus" may be selected as one of the happiest illustrations of Greek poetry in this imitated style of sculpture. Another of his productions, also derived from classical sources, and especially deserving attention, is his fine historical composition, representing, in a series of reliefs, "The Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon," a noble work, sufficient of itself to establish the fame of its author. It was originally designed by command of Napoleon I. to decorate a part of the Quirinal Palace at Rome. Afterwards it was executed in marble for Count Somariva, for his villa at Como. It is now in the palace of Christiansburg, Copenhagen.

But Thorwaldsen has proved his claim to rank infinitely higher than a merely successful copyist or imitator of Greek sculpture. The above, and various others of his works of this class, merit the fullest praise, but the most happy productions of the kind are always subject to the immense disadvantage of comparison with the real Greek examples on which they are founded; and even when, as is possible, they occasionally show a decided superiority, in some mechanical or academical qualities, over ancient remains, the best of them have necessarily an artificial character which precludes them from taking equal rank with original Greek art. The real genius and individual feeling of Thorwaldsen are more truly and more favourably shown in those works which illustrate religious and similar subjects; and which, reflecting his own sentiment or idea, appeal also to contemporary sympathies. His colossal statue of "Christ," executed for a church in Copenhagen, is of this class, and stands pre-eminent among modern works in sculpture: for sentiment, as well as other art qualities, it may fearlessly compete with any ancient work. The Saviour is represented standing with both arms extended, and but slightly advanced. The hands are open, as if inviting approach. The action is simple and dignified, and the expression at once noble and tender. The forms are of the purest type of beauty; and the large mantle, which constitutes the drapery, is boldly and skilfully arranged, leaving the arms and feet, which show the stigmata, and a portion of the chest of the figure, exposed. Statues of the "Twelve Apostles," for the same church, are equally admirable specimens of this sculptor's deep feeling and judicious treatment when engaged on works of this class. A series of statues for the tympanum or pediment of the church, representing "The Preaching of St John," combined into an effective whole by the concentration of interest exhibited in all the figures as they listen, in Thorwaldsen's various attitudes of attention, to the preacher, is another happy instance of this sculptor's power of applying his art to the noblest illustration. Various reliefs from Scripture might likewise be quoted as equally exhibiting Thorwaldsen's judicious tendency to apply his art to address itself to modern sympathies. Among the more important portrait works executed by this artist, may be mentioned two equestrian statues, of Maximilian Frederick of Bavaria, and Prince Poniatowski; also, a fine seated figure of Galileo, and another of Byron, now at Cambridge. The latter, though a work of great merit, is not one of the best specimens of the sculptor's ability. He also executed the monument of Pius VII. in St Peter's; but this work also affords very inadequate evidence of the real power of Thorwaldsen. His not being a member of the Romish Church subjected him to many illiberal annoyances during the arrangement of this monument, and its effect is materially injured both by the unfavourable position it occupies and by its want of relative scale. It is composed on the usual plan of such works. The Pope is represented seated, and below him, on either side, are statues supposed to characterise Force and Wisdom. A work of Thorwaldsen well known to travellers is a colossal lion erected near Lucerne, to commemorate the gallant Swiss guards who fell in defending the Tuileries on the 10th of August 1792. The bassorilievi by Thorwaldsen, representing Day and Night, are amongst his best known smaller works.

Canova, the great Italian sculptor, was in the height of his fame when Thorwaldsen began to attract the attention of judges of art; and it may be truly said that the latter was the first and only competitor who proved himself worthy to dispute the well-earned pre-eminence of his distinguished fellow-labourer in the art. The character and mode of treatment of sculpture by these celebrated professors soon, however, exhibited so wide a difference and so distinct an individuality, that they became the founders, as it were, of separate schools. Each had his admirers and partisans by whom their respective merits were sincerely recognised but as freely discussed. Canova, it was allowed, excelled in all the refinements of execution, was thoroughly acquainted with the best examples of form, had much fancy, and exhibited it in almost every variety of work; but it was objected, and not without reason, that his style was open to the charge of meretriciousness, in the absence of that pure and quiet character that so eminently distinguishes sculpture of the best schools. Thorwaldsen, on the other hand, sometimes neglected the advantages to be derived from fine and careful execution, but he never lost sight of the chaste and tranquil expression which essentially belongs to this art. He appealed usually to the deeper seated feelings of the spectator, in what were evidently the more favourite subjects of his practice, namely, religious and moral illustration; and even where mere physical beauty was the object of representation, as in his imitations of the ancient Greek types, no work of his is suggestive of any but pure associations.

Thorwaldsen died at Copenhagen on the 25th of March 1844. He attended the theatre, as was his custom, in the evening of that day. Before the performance commenced, he fell back in his chair in a fit of apoplexy, and although he was immediately conveyed home and received the most anxious attention, he expired without speaking.

Thorwaldsen received during his lifetime the most honourable testimonials of respect and admiration. Frederick of Denmark conferred on him letters of nobility, and he received decorations and orders of knighthood from various sovereigns of Europe. His obsequies were performed with great pomp in the Holm Church. The king, in deep mourning, was present at the funeral, at which the crown-prince and other royal and distinguished personages also attended, walking as mourners. The queen and princesses also assisted at the ceremony, and the concourse of people, including the public bodies, municipal and academical, amounted to many thousands. An interesting part of the ceremony was the performance of a requiem written by the sculptor's intimate and dear friend Ehlerschläger.

Thorwaldsen was rather above the middle height, firmly built, with broad shoulders. The outline of his face was rather square. His general expression was calm and thoughtful, and very pleasing. His eyes were light and penetrating; his mouth wide and usually closely shut. He wore his hair, which had grown nearly white, in large masses divided over his fine broad forehead, and falling on each side, something like a lion's mane, nearly to his shoulders.

Thorwaldsen will always take rank with Canova and Flaxman as one of the great regenerators of Sculpture. The former, his elders, were almost the first to break through the miserable routine of the worst mixed Italian and French art which had descended from Bernini and his school. Thorwaldsen nobly aided in advancing this revolution, and with them assisted in establishing the practice of sculpture upon true principles.

(R. W.—T.)