Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

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.

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.  

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 painting|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
art|Academic acceptability: the history painting. 


History painting presented the grand themes--
classical mythology|mythological and
history|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.  

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.

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
neoclassicism|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.  

In spite of his not receiving the medallion, the
Academy awarded him a travel stipend from its
general fund.  In August 1836 he began his
travels, going by way of Germany to Rome, Italy,
stopping on the way at Berlin, Dresden, Nuremberg
and Munich.  In Italy, where he stayed for four
years, he painted many idealized depictions of
daily life, especially festivities.  He was very
much taken by Italy and the life styles of the
Italian people.  He portrayed a colorful and
joyous view of them, infused with a new found
ideal of beauty.  

He also painted a few portraits during this first
stay in Italy.  Among these are portraits of 
other travelling Danish artists, such as Christen
Købke and travelling partner Johan Adolph
Kittendorff.  He also completed sketches for a
large portrait of botanist and politician,  J.F.
Schouw, which would be later realized as a
painting.

He returned to Denmark at the end of 1841,
stopping in Munich and Paris along the way.  In
Denmark he tried to bring back that which he
learned in Italy, and let it develop in his home
culture. 

He became a member of the Academy June 19, 1843,
after having submitted the painting "Erasmus
Montanus" as his admissions piece.  He became a
professor at the Academy in 1848.  He strived to
let his students develop after their own skills
and interests, among these being Peder Severin
Krøyer, Michael Ancher, Carl Bloch and Kristian
Zahrtmann.

He continued to travel regularly throughout Europe
throughout his life,  to (London, Vienna
(1853-1854), Belgium, but especially to Italy and
Rome), sometimes in the company of fellow artists
Niels Laurits Høyen|N.L. Høyen (also art
historian and critic), Peter Christian Thamsen
Skovgaard|P.C. Skovgaard and Johan Adolph
Kittendorff.

He continued to draw inspiration from Italy in his
paintings.  He drew also inspiration from
literature and the theatre, portraying scenes from
Don Quixote by Cervantes, as well as from Erasmus
Montanus, a play by Danish poet and playwright
Ludvig Holberg.  Holberg's works would provide
Marstrand with much inspiration.  

And he continued to paint genre paintings, and to
make sketches, caricatures and drawings that
capture the spirit of that time with sharp satire.
Marstrand married Margrethe Christine Weidemann on
June 8, 1850 with whom he had five children.  His
family became also a source for his painting.  One
can see certain similarities in his portraits of
the children to those made by Constantin Hansen,
one of his contemporaries, and another student of
Eckersberg.  

He began painting portaits seriously again in the
late 1850s, depicting some of the most important
figures of the time, including artist Constantin
Hansen (1852, 1862), Grundtvig (1863), N.L. Høyen
(1869), Gottlieb Bindesbøll, and his earlier
portraiture of Christen Købke 1839.

During the 1850s and 1860s he began to paint
religious themes, especially after the death of
his wife in 1867.  He focused also again on
paintings with mythological and historical themes.
 He painted mural decoration for Christian IV of
Denmark and Norway|King Christian IV's chapel in
Roskilde Cathedral (Domkirke) between 1864-1866. 
These featured scenes from the life of the
monarch.  He painted a large alterpiece at Faaborg
Church.  In 1871, shortly before his death, he
delivered large wallpaintings made for the
University of Copenhagen's Celebration Hall
(Festsal).  These are considered some of his best
historical paintings.

He was named Director of the Academy during two
periods: the first period was from 1853-1857, the
other period was from 1863 until his death in
1873.  He was named State Councillor (etatsråd)
in 1867.

During the last ten years of this life his works
became very intimate.  A series of paintings made
during the last 6 years of his life featured a
naked woman, while others are deeply religious.

In October 1871 he was struck with a brain
hemorrhage.

Marstrand, in his lifetime, was proclaimed one of
the greatest Danish artists ever.  He was
extremely productive, and mastered a number of
genres.  He was best known for the scenes of daily
life in Copenhagen that he painted in his younger
days, for the Italian festivities he portrayed,
and from 1830 on the many portrait|portraits of
Copenhagen's middle class and influential, and the
larger commissioned pieces for the University and
the monarchy.  After his death his work became
less valued due to the fact that its style was
deemed unfashionable, but there has been renewed
appreciation for his work.

===Internal links===
List of Danish painters