Nicolai Abildgaard

Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard ( born September 11, 1743 Copenhagen, † June 4, 1809 in Frederiksdal ) was a Danish painter, sculptor and architect of neoclassicism.

Curriculum vitae

Abildgaard, son of the artist, illustrator and naturalist Søren Abildgaard (1718-1791), which made ​​especially drawings by natural and historic monuments, studied from 1764 to 1772 at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Copenhagen, received in 1771 the travel grant, went in 1772 to Rome and, after his return in 1777, Professor, Director of the Academy in 1789. His major works, a cycle of historical allegorical paintings in the castle of Christiansburg, were all destroyed in 1794 by fire. He also painted scenes from Ossian and Shakespeare and four images from the Andria of Terence (look at the State Art Museum Copenhagen). Since he was also modeled and practically worked as Ornamentist, the young Bertel Thorvaldsen began his artistic career under him. Abildgaard is on the Assistants Cemetery in Copenhagen's Nørrebro buried.

Images and sculptures

• The Wounded Philoctetes, 1775 ( panel, Copenhagen)
• Ossian, 1782 ( panel, Copenhagen)
• Emilia 's Kilde, 1782 (sculpture)