Bertel Thorvaldsen

Danish sculptor. Born in Copenhagen, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts there. After receiving recognition from Swedish sculptor Sergel, he went to Rome to study at the age of 30, where he continued to create for the next 40 years. He carved the cool, dreamlike qualities of marble with exquisite technique, and as a representative sculptor of neoclassicism, he took the art world of the first half of the 19th century by storm, along with Canova. He was also praised as a master of reliefs, for his 35-meter long sculpture wall, "Alexander the Great," which he created to coincide with Napoleon I's planned visit to Rome in 1812. Many of his works, including his masterpiece "Ganymede," based on Greek mythology, are in the collection of the Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen. He also excelled in portrait sculpture, and his works, such as the "Statue of Copernicus" in Poland, are scattered throughout Europe.

[Mitamura Shunsuke]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

デンマークの彫刻家。コペンハーゲンに生まれ、同地の美術アカデミーに学ぶ。スウェーデンの彫刻家セルゲルに認められ、30歳のときローマに留学し、以後40年間その地で制作した。大理石のもつ冷ややかな夢幻性を精巧な技術で刻み、新古典主義の代表的な彫刻家として、カノーバとともに19世紀前半の芸術界を風靡(ふうび)した。1812年に予定されていたナポレオン1世のローマ訪問にあわせて制作した35メートルに及ぶ彫刻壁『アレクサンダー大帝』によって、浮彫りの名手ともたたえられた。ギリシア神話を主題とした代表作『ガニメデス』をはじめ多数の作品が、コペンハーゲンのトルバルセン美術館に収蔵されている。肖像彫刻にも優れ、ポーランドの『コペルニクス像』など、作品はヨーロッパ全土に散在している。

［三田村畯右］

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