Georg (George) David Anthon (1 October 1714 – 30 August 1781) was a German born, Danish

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Background

Anthon was born in Northern Germany. He was student of Danish architect

Nicolai Eigtved Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved (4 June 1701 – 7 June 1754) was a Danish architect. He introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo or late baroque style in Danish architecture during the 1730s–1740s. He design ...

(1701–1754) and graduated as a teacher of

geometry Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is ...

and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

from 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 Dan ...

in 1748. He continued as an instructor at the Academy until 1760.

Career

In 1751 he became a royal building inspector (''kongelig bygningsinspektør''), For a short period after

's death in 1754, Anthon led the account-taking work on

Frederik's Church Frederik's Church ( da, Frederiks Kirke), popularly known as The Marble Church () for its rococo architecture, is an Evangelical Lutheran church in Copenhagen, Denmark. The church forms the focal point of the Frederiksstaden district; it is loc ...

(''Marmorkirken''). In 1761 he was named Royal Master Builder with responsibility for all the royal castles and homes. He worked as a teacher at the Royal Danish Academy until 1760. He applied for membership of the Academy in 1759 but his application was denied. He never gained membership. He was schooled in the

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

style of architecture when Neoclassicism was regarded as the leading style. He was controversial and proposed tearing down the spires of both the Stock Exchange ('' ørsen'') which dated from 1640 and the Main Tower of Rosenborg Castle dating from 1624 and replacing them with dome structures. The architect Caspar Frederik Harsdorff (1735–1799), intervened and stopped the plan. Anthon was entrusted with supervising the actual construction of Christian's Church, Copenhagen (''Christians Kirke'') which was designed by Nicolai Eigtved and completed in 1759. Anthon also designed the tower which is an addition from 1769. Anthon also built the stables at both

Frederiksberg Palace Frederiksberg Palace ( da, Frederiksberg Slot) is a Baroque residence, located in Frederiksberg, Denmark, adjacent to the Copenhagen Zoo. It commands an impressive view over Frederiksberg Gardens, originally designed as a palace garden in the ...

and

Nakkehoved Lighthouse Nakkehoved Lighthouse (Danish: ''Nakkehoved Fyr)'' was originally the name for two individual lighthouses above the ''Nakkehoved'' cliffs''.'' Since the eastern lighthouse was decommissioned in 1898, the name ''Nakkehoved lighthouse'' has come t ...

and also redesigned Bregentved Estate. In 1759, he published ''Anvisning til den civile Bygningskunst'' - ''Instructions for Civilian Architecture in English'', which was published in three editions.

Personal life

On April 28, 1755 Anthon married Anne Margrethe, daughter of Nicolai Eigtved. Their his son Adam Gottlob Anthon was born in 1756. Anthon died on August 30, 1781 in Copenhagen.

References

1714 births 1781 deaths 18th-century Danish architects German emigrants to Denmark {{Denmark-architect-stub

Background

Career

Personal life

See also

References