Thorvaldsens Museum was the Guggenheim Bilbao of its day. When it opened in 1848 it represented something radically new: the first public museum in Denmark, a collection of international contemporary art that was so architecturally striking that the citizens of Copenhagen were amazed and fascinated. Henderson's exploration of its exterior focuses on the colorful frieze that decorates the building. It depicts the triumphant arrival of sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, who had arranged to donate his own works of art, his library, and his collections to the city, from his studio in Rome. The study is both thoroughly indexed and well illustrated in color and b&w. Henderson teaches classics at Cambridge U. and is a fellow of King's College. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR