Bertel Thorvaldsen (1768–1844) with the Bust of Horace Vernet

Vernet's 1833 portrait of the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen with a bust of Vernet was painted during his tenure as director of the French Academy in Rome, where Thorvaldsen was also resident. Thorvaldsen was the most celebrated sculptor in Europe, the Dane who had conquered Rome with his Neoclassical marbles and who maintained a studio that was a required stop for all visiting artists and collectors. Vernet's friendship with Thorvaldsen reflected the cosmopolitan art world of Rome in the 1820s-1830s, where French, German, Danish, and English artists shared the experience of the Eternal City's artistic resources and its vibrant international artistic community.

Vernet's oil on canvas combines precise characterization of the sculptor with the documentary detail of the studio setting, using warm lighting and naturalistic rendering to create an intimate portrait of artistic friendship.