In this artwork, how is the History discussed?
The original plaster model for the sculpture was created by Thorvaldsen in 1839 in his studio at Nysø Manor. In her Thorvaldsen memoirs, Christine Stampe makes the following comment on the creation of the statue:
While working on his self-portrait, for which I had made him a sort of robe to his own design, he first fastened the belt—which was with a large buckle–and said: "Now I will get strong, that is what happened to Thor when he used his strength; they cal me Thor. one Thor crushes, the other Thor creates".
The plaster model was created on 1 October 1839. At the time of Thorvaldsen's death a few years later, he had still not executed it in marble. A marble version of the sculpture was created by his pupil Herman Wilhelm Bissen in 1859.
Nysø Manor Christine Stampe Thor Herman Wilhelm Bissen