Aksel Christian Henrik Hansen (2 September 1853 – 3 May 1933) was a Danish sculptor, one of the most productive of his times.
Biography
The son of a stonemason, Hansen was born in Odense, Denmark. After an apprenticeship with his father, he studied architecture at the
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark.
History
The Royal Dani ...
(1876-1879). He exhibited at the
Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition
The Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition (''Charlottenborg Forårsudstilling'') is an annual art exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The event is held at the Charlottenborg Exhibition Building (''Kunsthal Charlottenborg'').
Kunsthal Charlottenborg ...
from 1880. He received the
Hielmstierne-Rosencrone and the Ancker scholarships in 1888. He conducted study trips to Italy 1888-89 and to Greece 1904.
While following the classical tradition of
Herman Wilhelm Bissen
Herman Wilhelm Bissen (13 October 1798 – 10 March 1868) was a Denmark, Danish sculptor.
Biography
Bissen was born at Schleswig in the Duchy of Schleswig. He was the son of Christian Gottlieb Wilhelm Bissen (1766-1847), a farmer, and Anna ...
, he was also influenced by French
Naturalism and the
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
style. This emerging trend can be seen in his masterpiece, ''Echo'' (1888), in Copenhagen's
Rosenborg Castle Gardens
Rosenborg Castle Gardens (Danish: Kongens Have literally The King's Garden) is the oldest and most visited park in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Established in the early 17th century as the private gardens of King Christian IV's Rosenborg Castle, th ...
, as well as in Gustav Lotze's tomb with its slender female figures in Odense's Assistens Cemetery. His statue of ''Uffe den Spage'' (1904), outside the Østerbro Stadium, shows how the Nordic character is reflected in ancient legends. Among his best known works are the six giants in the guardroom at
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
(1912) and the equestrian statue of
King Christian IX
Christian IX (8 April 181829 January 1906) was King of Denmark from 1863 until his death in 1906. From 1863 to 1864, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg.
A younger son of Frederick William, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein- ...
(1912) in Odense's Royal Gardens.
Karin Kryger, "Aksel Hansen"
''Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon''. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
List of works
*''Echo'', Rosenborg Castle Gardens
Rosenborg Castle Gardens (Danish: Kongens Have literally The King's Garden) is the oldest and most visited park in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Established in the early 17th century as the private gardens of King Christian IV's Rosenborg Castle, th ...
, Copenhagen (1888)
* Hans Tausen Monument, Birkende, Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...
(1894)
* Christian IV, Odense Palace
Odense Palace ( da, Odense Slot) in the city of Odense on the Danish island of Funen has its origins in a 15th-century monastery which passed to the Crown after the Reformation, and since then has served as an administrative building: in turn as ...
, Odense
* ''Ancient hunter'', Dalgas Boulevard, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen
* ''Ambrosius'', Frederick's Church
Frederik's Church ( da, Frederiks Kirke), popularly known as The Marble Church () for its rococo architecture, is an Church of Denmark, Evangelical Lutheran church in Copenhagen, Denmark. The church forms the focal point of the Frederiksstaden d ...
, Copenhagen
Image gallery
Image:Ekko Kongens Have.JPG, ''Echo''
Rosenborg Castle Gardens
Image:Urjægeren Aksel Hansen.JPG, ''Ancient hunter''
Frederiksberg
Image:Christian IX Odense.JPG, ''Christian IX''
Odense
References
1853 births
1933 deaths
People from Odense
20th-century Danish sculptors
Male sculptors
19th-century sculptors
Danish male artists
20th-century Danish male artists
{{Denmark-sculptor-stub