Oil painting -> List of Painters -> Wilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand

Wilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand

Early Days: Marstrand studied at Copenhagen's Metropolitan School, but had little interest in books, and left around 16 years of age. Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, painter and professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Art (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) in Copenhagen, was a close pal of Wilhelm's father, and it was to all look Eckersberg who recommended an artistic career for young Wilhelm. Wilhelm had already shown artistic talent, tackling difficult subjects such as group scenes with many figures and complicated composition. At 16 years of age Marstrand thus began his studies at the Academy under Eckersberg, attending the school from 1826 to 1833. Although his 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 would soon reach for the pinnacle of Academic acceptability: the history painting.

Career:

He became a member of the art Academy on 19 June 1843, after submitting the painting "Erasmus Montanez" as his admissions piece. He became a professor at the Academy in 1848. He endeavored to let his students evolve according to their own skills and interests. Among these were the two most renowned Skagen painters Peder Sever in Kroyer and Michael Ancher, as well as Carl Bloch and Kristian Zahrtmann.

Marstrand also continued to apply inspiration from Italy in his paintings. He now supplied it with themes from literature and the theatre, portraying scenes from Don Quixote by Cervantes, as well as from Erasmus Montanez, or other plays by Ludwig Holberg. Holberg's works would in fact provide Marstrand with an endless stream of inspiration.

He also continued to paint genre paintings, and to make sketches, caricatures, and drawings, capturing the spirit of his time with gentle or more biting satire.