Thorvaldsens forældre har modtaget brev fra sønnen 1846

Wilhelm Marstrand created this pen and brown wash drawing, "Thorvaldsens forældre har modtaget brev fra sønnen" sometime in the 19th century. It captures a moment of quiet domesticity, tinged with the bittersweet emotions of distance and connection. Here, an elderly couple sits at their table, bathed in the soft light filtering through a nearby window. The woman peers intently at a letter, presumably from their son, while the man looks off to the side, lost in thought. The letter connects them to a world beyond their humble room, a world where their son, the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, has found fame and success. Marstrand, working in the Danish Golden Age, often depicted scenes from everyday life, subtly exploring the social fabric and emotional undercurrents of his time. This drawing, though simple in its composition, speaks volumes about family, ambition, and the sacrifices that often accompany the pursuit of a dream.