Sculptor. He received international acclaim as a Danish sculptor in the early 19th century. At the age of eleven he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he first attracted attention. In 1796 he received a traveling scholarship, and he stayed in Rome until 1819. He arrived in Rome on March 8, 1797, thus he claimed this day as his birthday as he never knew his own birthday. While in Rome he executed a large number of famous statues and reliefs, among others “Jason”, “Venus”, “Cupid and Psyche”, and “Ganymed with Jupiter's Eagle”. In 1821 he was back in Copenhagen to prepare the work on the statues of “Christ and the Apostles” which he was commissioned to make for the Cathedral of Our Lady. Back again in Rome, he produced a large number of works, among others the equestrian statues of “Prince Poniatowski” and “Maximilian I”, the sepulchral monument to “Pope Pius VII in St. Peter's,” the monuments of “Kopernicus”, “Gutenberg” and “Schiller,” as well as the statues for the Copenhagen Cathedral. He taught many of the world's most successful sculptors. Finally, in 1838 he returned to Copenhagen with a hero's welcome. He died in 1844 and was buried in 1848 in the inner courtyard of the Thorvaldsen Museum, which was his home.
Sculptor. He received international acclaim as a Danish sculptor in the early 19th century. At the age of eleven he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he first attracted attention. In 1796 he received a traveling scholarship, and he stayed in Rome until 1819. He arrived in Rome on March 8, 1797, thus he claimed this day as his birthday as he never knew his own birthday. While in Rome he executed a large number of famous statues and reliefs, among others “Jason”, “Venus”, “Cupid and Psyche”, and “Ganymed with Jupiter's Eagle”. In 1821 he was back in Copenhagen to prepare the work on the statues of “Christ and the Apostles” which he was commissioned to make for the Cathedral of Our Lady. Back again in Rome, he produced a large number of works, among others the equestrian statues of “Prince Poniatowski” and “Maximilian I”, the sepulchral monument to “Pope Pius VII in St. Peter's,” the monuments of “Kopernicus”, “Gutenberg” and “Schiller,” as well as the statues for the Copenhagen Cathedral. He taught many of the world's most successful sculptors. Finally, in 1838 he returned to Copenhagen with a hero's welcome. He died in 1844 and was buried in 1848 in the inner courtyard of the Thorvaldsen Museum, which was his home.
Bio by: Erik Skytte
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