Mads Alstrup facts for kids
Mads Alstrup (born 1808, died 1876) was a super important person in Danish photography! He was the first person in Denmark to open his own studio just for taking portrait photos. For 16 years, he took a huge number of special photos called daguerreotypes. He worked in Copenhagen and all over Denmark.
Later, his business faced some tough times around 1857. So, in 1858, he moved to Sweden. He kept taking portraits there for the rest of his life. Mads Alstrup is known as one of Denmark's true pioneers in the world of photography.
Early Photography in Denmark
Mads Alstrup was born in Viborg and first learned how to be a goldsmith. He even had a business in Randers in Jutland.
In the summer of 1842, Mads moved to Copenhagen. He opened his special photo studio in the Rosenborg Gardens. This was a very popular spot in the city. It was easy for him to find people who wanted their pictures taken!
From 1843 to 1848, Mads traveled all over Denmark. He would set up small, temporary studios in different towns for a few days or weeks. This way, people across the country could get their portraits done. In 1849, he finally settled down in Copenhagen. He opened a studio in a busy area on Østergade, close to Kongens Nytorv.
Mads Alstrup might not have been seen as an "artist" by everyone. But he was a very skilled businessman! He knew how to make his photography studio successful. He always bought new and better equipment. This helped his photos get better and better each year. It's believed he took about 33,000 daguerreotypes during his 16 years working in Denmark. That's a lot of photos!
Life in Sweden
After leaving Denmark in 1857, Mads Alstrup moved to Sweden. Just like his early days in Denmark, he traveled from place to place. He took photos in many different cities.
In 1859, he was in Hälsingborg and Kristianstad. By 1860, he was in Gothenburg, where he stayed for a few years. In 1863, he worked in Malmö with another photographer named G.S. Ekeund. Mads Alstrup passed away in Falun, Sweden, in 1876.
See also
- Photography in Denmark
- History of photography
