Anton Melbye facts for kids
Anton Melbye (born February 13, 1818, in Copenhagen, Denmark – died January 10, 1875, in Paris, France) was a famous Danish artist. He was a painter and photographer who loved to create pictures of the sea, ships, and everything related to the ocean. He had two brothers, Vilhelm and Fritz Melbye, who were also painters.
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Anton Melbye's Early Life
Anton Melbye's father worked for the King's customs office. Anton first dreamed of joining the navy and sailing the seas. However, he had myopia, which means he couldn't see very well far away. Because of this, he couldn't become a sailor. Instead, he was sent to study shipbuilding.
But Anton had a strong passion for music and art. He decided to leave engineering school. He wanted to learn to play the guitar instead.
Becoming a Marine Painter
Anton also really wanted to paint pictures of the sea. In 1838, he spent a year at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. There, he learned from a great teacher named C.W. Eckersberg.
By 1840, Anton was already showing his seascape paintings. A German art collector, Karl Friedrich von Rumohr, noticed his talent. Because of Rumohr's suggestion, Anton joined King Christian VIII on his ship. They sailed through the Baltic and North Seas.
Soon after, the King invited Anton to travel to Morocco. There, he saw a big event called the Bombardment of Tangiers. In 1845, Anton asked the Royal Academy for money to travel and study. He didn't get it at first. But with the King's help, he received the money in 1846.
His painting of the Eddystone Lighthouse was bought for the King's art collection. This painting also won a special award called the Thorvaldsen Medal. Many people wanted Anton to paint for them after this. He had so many orders that he had to delay his trip.
Years in Paris
Anton finally arrived in Paris in 1847. He stayed there during the French Revolution of 1848, a big change in France. He even got more time for his scholarship. Soon, his name became well-known in the art world in Paris. He ended up staying there for a long time.
In 1853, Anton got a chance to travel with a French group to Istanbul, a city in Turkey. For some time, he lived with the French Ambassador, Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers. He even painted a picture of Sultan Abdülmecid I, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire.
During these years, Anton also received a special request from Napoleon III, the Emperor of France. He also learned how to create daguerreotypes. These were early types of photographs. He learned this directly from Louis Daguerre, the inventor of this method, just before Daguerre passed away.
Later Life and Art Style
Anton got married in 1857 and returned to Denmark the next year. When he arrived, he became a member of the Royal Academy. He also received a special honor called the Order of the Dannebrog. In 1862, he became a Professor.
In his later years, Anton spent his time between Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Paris. Even though he was very successful, he often felt a bit sad. Everyone he met always talked about his painting of the lighthouse as his best work.
His health slowly got worse, making it harder for him to paint. So, he started making drawings with charcoal and chalk instead. Anton Melbye passed away during a visit to Paris and was buried there.
His paintings look very real. He often added dramatic light and weather effects to them. He especially liked to show stormy weather. His art also showed the influence of Camille Corot, another artist he met in Paris.
