Wilhelm Marstrand

Vilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand (December 24, 1810-March 25, 1873), painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, mechanic and inventor, and Petra Ottilia Smith. Marstrand is one of the best known artists belonging to the Golden Age of Danish Painting.

Art studies / Training at the Academy

Marstrand studied at Metropolitan School (Metropolitanskole), but had very little interest in books, and therefore left at 16 years of age. His father, Nicolai, knew Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, painter and professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Art (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) in Copenhagen, and according to story Eckersberg recommended that Wilhelm attend the Academy. Vilhelm had already shown his artistic talents, tackling difficult subject such as group scenes with many figures and complicated composition.

Related Topics:
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg - Royal Danish Academy of Art - Copenhagen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At 16 years of age he began hia studies at the Academy under Eckersberg, attending the school from 1826 to 1833. Although Marstrand's interests had a firm hold in genre themes-- depiction of the daily life he observed around him in Copenhagen's streets, especially middle class society-- he reached for the pinnacle of Academic acceptability: the history painting.

Related Topics:
1826 - 1833 - Genre - Academic - History painting

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

History painting presented the grand themes-- classical mythological and historical themes, not the daily life. The traditions, and the taste of traditional art critics, favored this. It was to be strived for, in spite of his skills at depicting the more modest themes in daily life, and the enjoyment he had with portraying the crowds, the diversions of city life and in revealing the humor and story behind all the hustle and bustle.

Related Topics:
Mythological - Historical

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His creative production, in the form of many painting and illustrations made throughout the 1830s and throughout his life, reflect this natural inclination toward showing the simple life of his times. Christian Waagepetersen, wine merchant to the Danish court and supporter of the arts, also became an important patron for Marstrand during this period. His painting "A musical evening party" (Et musikalsk aftenselskab) (1834), depicts such an occasion at the home of Waagepetersen, and was an important transition painting for him.

Related Topics:
1830 - 1834

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He never received the big gold medallion from the Academy. This medallion was not only coveted for the honour and recognition it bestowed, but also because it included a travel stipend for furthering the artist's training. His attempts at procuring the medallion lost both in 1833 with his neoclassical "Flight to Egypt" (Flugten til Ægypten) and in 1835 with "Odysseus and Nausikaa". This was a disappointment as he had won both silver medals in 1833.

Related Topics:
1833 - Neoclassical - 1835

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~