A stipend received in 1835 enabled Constantin Hansen to embark on a multi-year European tour, a journey that defined his aesthetic development and eventual contributions to the Danish Golden Age. This trek took him through cities including Berlin, Dresden, and Munich before he settled for an extended period of study in Italy, specifically Rome, Naples, and Pompeii.
Early Development and Training
Born in 1804 in Rome to portrait painter Hans Hansen, he moved to Copenhagen during his infancy. He enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts at age twelve. Initially focusing on architecture, he pivoted to painting by age twenty-one. Starting in 1828, he received instruction from Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. Following the death of his parents from typhus, he assumed financial responsibility for his younger sisters, completing commissions originally assigned to his father, such as decorative works for Christiansborg Palace.
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During his residence in Italy, he met the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and painted alongside colleagues such as Jørgen Roed, Christen Købke, and Georg Hilker. In 1837, the Copenhagen Art Union commissioned A Group of Danish Artists in Rome. His portfolio grew to include Italian folk scenes and studies of Roman architecture, notably the Vestatemplet med dets omgivelser. He also produced intimate domestic works, including The Artist's Eldest Sister, Portrait of a Little Girl, Elise Købke, with a Cup in front of her, and Resting Model.
Fresco Commissions and National Significance
Upon returning to Denmark, Hansen studied fresco techniques in Munich to prepare for a major project at the University of Copenhagen. Between 1844 and 1853, he collaborated with Georg Hilker to decorate the university vestibule, with Hansen painting the mythological figures. Later in his career, he focused on national historical subjects, completing the monumental oil painting The Danish Constituent Assembly between 1861 and 1865.
Professional Recognition and Later Years
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts appointed him professor in 1854, and he became a member of the institution in 1864. His career accolades include being named Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1874 and receiving the title of etatsråd in 1875. In 1846, he married Magdalene Barbara Købke, with whom he had thirteen children. He died in 1880 in Frederiksberg and was interred at the Frederiksberg Old Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1804, Rome
- Died: 1880, Frederiksberg
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Denmark
- Education: Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
- Key Movement: Danish Golden Age
- Professor Appointment: 1854
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog: 1874
- Burial Site: Frederiksberg Old Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What significant murals did Constantin Hansen create?
He is primarily known for the fresco decorations in the vestibule of the University of Copenhagen, created in collaboration with Georg Hilker between 1844 and 1853.
Who were some of his notable artistic collaborators?
While working in Italy and Denmark, he frequently collaborated with artists including Jørgen Roed, Christen Købke, and the decorative painter Georg Hilker.
Achievements
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog — 1874
- Notable work: A Group of Danish Artists in Rome
- Notable work: The Danish Constituent Assembly
- Notable work: Resting Model
- Notable work: The Artist's Eldest Sister
- Movement: Danish Golden Age
