Georg Emil Hansen facts for kids
Georg Emil Hansen was a very important photographer from Denmark. He was born on May 12, 1833, in Naestved and passed away on December 21, 1891. Georg Hansen was one of the first people to take photos in Denmark during the late 1800s. He owned his own photo studio in Copenhagen. Later, he became a famous photographer for royal families.
Contents
Early Life and Learning Photography
Georg Hansen grew up in Naestved, a town in southern Sealand. He learned how to take pictures from his father, C.C. Hansen. His father started making special early photos called daguerreotypes in 1849.
Georg went to Germany to study photography even more. In 1854, he came back and helped his father open a new photo studio. This studio was near Kongens Nytorv in the center of Copenhagen. The new camera equipment he brought from Germany was very helpful.
Opening His Own Studio
In 1856, Georg Hansen opened his very own photography studio. It was first located at Bredgade 22, and then later moved to Østergade. In 1867, he teamed up with his brother, Niels Christian Hansen, who was a painter. They also joined with a businessman named Albert Schou. Together, they created a very famous photo studio. Later, another person named Clemens Weller joined them. The studio became known as Hansen, Schou & Weller.
Photographer for Royalty
Georg Hansen became a special photographer for royal families. He took pictures of kings, queens, and princes in Denmark, England, Russia, and Greece.
He was very good at selling small photo prints. These prints were called carte de visite (pronounced "kart duh vee-ZEET"). They were like small trading cards with people's pictures on them. He sold many photos of the Danish royal family. For example, he sold about 37,000 pictures of the young Princess Alexandra. This was when she married Crown Prince Edward in 1863.
Hans Christian Andersen and Photography
The famous writer Hans Christian Andersen was very interested in photography. He often asked photographers to take his portrait.
Andersen posed for Georg Hansen many times. This happened between 1860 and 1874. In his personal diary, Andersen wrote about one visit. On July 19, 1862, he noted: "Went to Hansen who photographed me; got 24 portraits." This shows how popular Hansen's studio was.
See also
- Photography in Denmark
- History of photography
