Carl Christian Frederik Jacob Thomsen (6 April 1847 – 4 October 1912) was a Danish painter and illustrator. He specialized in genre painting and also illustrated the works of several Danish authors.

Biography

Born in Copenhagen, Thomsen was the son of Chamber Councillor (kammerråd) Ludvig Frederik Thomsen and the brother of the acclaimed linguist

Vilhelm Thomsen Vilhelm Ludwig Peter Thomsen (25 January 1842 – 12 May 1927) was a Danish linguist and Turkologist. He successfully deciphered the Orkhon inscriptions which were discovered during the expedition of Nikolai Yadrintsev in 1889. Early life and ed ...

(1842–1927). From an early age, Thomsen was interested in drawing but his parents first encouraged him to study philosophy. After he had graduated in 1866, he began studying art with

Frederik Vermehren Johan Frederik (Frits) Nikolai Vermehren, also known as Frederik Vermehren (12 May 1823 – 10 January 1910), a genre and portrait painter in the realist style. His artistic career took place during the period of Danish art known as the Golden ...

the same year. He then attended 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 ...

under

Wilhelm Marstrand Nicolai Wilhelm Marstrand (24 December 1810 – 25 March 1873), painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, instrument maker and inventor, and Petra Othilia Smith. Marstrand is one of the most renowned ar ...

, graduating in 1871. He completed his studies in Italy at the end of the 1870s together with

Kristian Zahrtmann Peder Henrik Kristian Zahrtmann, known as Kristian Zahrtmann, (31 March 1843 – 22 June 1917) was a Denmark, Danish Painting, painter. He was a part of the Danish artistic generation in the late 19th century, along with Peder Severin Krøyer and ...

and

August Jerndorff August Andreas Jerndorff (25 January 1846 – 28 July 1906) was a Denmark, Danish painter who is best known for his portraits. Biography August Jarndorff was born in Oldenburg (city), Oldenburg in Lower Saxony. His parents were Just Ulrik Jerndo ...

. Thomsen exhibited in Carlottenborg from 1869. His earlier works include the genre paintings ''Ved eksamensbordet'' (At the Examination Desk, 1874) and ''Moder og datter'' (Mother and Daughter, 1875). In 1888, his ''Middag i en præstegård efter en bispevisitats'' (Dinner in a Rectory after a Bishop's Visit) earned him several awards including the Neuhausen Prize and gold medals in Munich and Antwerp. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Thomsen did not follow any of the modern trends from Paris but maintained his

Historicist Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying their history, that is, by studying the process by which they came about. The term is widely u ...

approach, often painting literary subjects. Marie Cathrine Preisler som sultaninde

As an illustrator, he contributed woodcuts to both books and journals including works by

Adam Oehlenschläger Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger (14 November 177920 January 1850) was a Danish poet and playwright. He introduced romanticism into Danish literature. He wrote the lyrics to the song ''Der er et yndigt land'', which is one of the national anthems ...

, Johan Ludvig Heiberg,

Steen Steensen Blicher Steen Steensen Blicher (11 October 1782, Vium – 26 March 1848 in Spentrup) was an author and poet born in Vium near Viborg, Denmark. Biography Blicher was the son of a literarily inclined Jutlandic parson whose family was distantly rela ...

and B.S. Ingemann. In 1901, he became a professor of the Royal Danish Academy.

Awards

In 1887, Thomsen was awarded the

Eckersberg Medal The Eckersberg Medal (originally the ''Akademiets Aarsmedaille'' or Annual Academy Medal) is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It is named after Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, known as the father of Danish painting. The Ec ...

and, in 1888, the

Thorvaldsen Medal The Thorvaldsen Medal (Danish: Thorvaldsens Medalje, Thorvaldsen Medaillen) is awarded annually with few exceptions to a varying number of recipients by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and is its highest distinction within the visual arts. It ...

. In 1892, he was decorated a Knight of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known a ...

References

Literature

External links

Artworks by Carl Thomsen in Danish museumsExamples of Carl Thomsen's works on Artnet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomsen, Carl 1847 births 1912 deaths 19th-century Danish painters Danish male painters Danish genre painters Artists from Copenhagen Recipients of the Thorvaldsen Medal Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts faculty Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog 20th-century Danish painters 19th-century Danish male artists 20th-century Danish male artists