Nielsine Petersen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nielsine Caroline Petersen
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Petersen working on a bust in her Copenhagen studio, c. 1890
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| Born | July 10, 1853 Nyrup, Odsherred Municipality, Denmark
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| Died | November 26, 1916 (aged 63) Hellerup, Denmark
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| Burial place | Hellerup Cemetery |
Nielsine Petersen (born July 10, 1851 – died November 26, 1916) was a talented Danish sculptor. She was especially known for her beautiful bronze statues. She also worked as a court sculptor, meaning she created art for royal families.
Today, Nielsine Petersen is famous for her bronze statue of Hamlet, a character from Shakespeare's play. Another well-known work is En dreng, der fisker krabber (which means "A Boy Fishing for Crabs"), created in 1884.
She received many important awards from different countries. These included the French Ordre des Palmes académiques, a Russian Medal of Merit, and the British Order of Merit for Art and Science. In 1908, she was honored with the Ingenio et arti medal for her artistic achievements.
Contents
Discovering Nielsine Petersen: A Danish Sculptor
Her Early Life and Artistic Journey
Nielsine Caroline Petersen was born on July 10, 1853. Her birthplace was Nyrup, a small village on the island of Zealand in Denmark. Her parents were Mads Petersen and Kirstine Madsen.
From a very young age, Nielsine dreamed of becoming a sculptor. However, her parents were not keen on her pursuing an art career. It was only after she became seriously ill at age 22 that they allowed her to follow her passion for sculpture.
In 1877, when she was 24, Nielsine moved to Copenhagen. There, she began her art studies at Vilhelm Kyhn's drawing school. She then learned from famous sculptors like Jens Adolf Jerichau, Theobald Stein, and August Saabye. Saabye had the biggest influence on her unique artistic style. Nielsine's art also showed influences from the classical works of Bertel Thorvaldsen and the realistic style of French naturalism.
Becoming a Famous Sculptor
Nielsine Petersen first showed her art in 1880. It was a plaster bust (a sculpture of a person's head and shoulders) at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition. She continued to show her work there almost every year for the rest of her life. In 1883, her small statue, called a statuette, En dansende Faun ("A Dancing Faun"), won a special award called the Neuhausenske Præmier.
At first, Nielsine was not allowed to join the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. This was because the academy only started accepting women in 1888. Even so, she entered a competition in 1887. Her plaster relief (a sculpture carved into a flat surface) titled Naomi siger Farvel til sine Sønnesønner won her a gold medal.
This important win, along with other small scholarships, allowed her to travel and study in Paris, France. She lived there for some time and learned from the sculptor Henri Chapu. In 1890, she displayed her statue Ismail at the famous Salon exhibition. It received an honorable mention and later, in 1893, won the Eibeschütz Præmie.
Working for Royalty
Nielsine Petersen became especially known as a court sculptor. This meant she created sculptures for royal families. Her first royal project was a memorial for Tsar Alexander III of Russia. His widow, Maria Feodorovna, approved Nielsine's design. King Christian IX allowed it to be placed at Fredensborg Palace. This bronze bust was set on a granite base on the palace grounds.
She later made busts and statues of several members of the Danish royal family. These included Louise of Sweden, Frederick VIII, Christian IX, and George I of Greece. In 1901, she was even invited to Buckingham Palace in England for an eleven-day visit by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of Denmark.
Nielsine Petersen first had her art studio in Bredgade in Copenhagen. Later, she moved her studio to a villa in Hellerup. She passed away on November 26, 1916, in Hellerup and was buried at Hellerup Cemetery.
