Johan Christoph Petzold (5 October 1708 - 15 September 1762) was a German sculptor who mainly worked in Denmark. He was a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from its establishment in 1754 and briefly held the post of Sculptor to the Danish Court.
Born in Wünschendorf near Pirna, [1] Saxony, Petzold had his training with Balthasar Permoser in Dresden, Andreas Schlüter in Berlin and Georg Rafael Donner in Vienna. [2]
He worked in Denmark from 1739 until 1757 interrupted by a one and a half year period from 1746 to October 1748 when he worked at the castle in Potsdam. His first work in Denmark, a relief for a pediment and a statue at the naval headquarters at Gammelholm in Copenhagen, from 1739–40, was lost in the Great Fire of 1795. Other lost works include seven statues for Hirschholm Palace (1741) and three for Frederiksdalin Lyngby (1745). From 1742, he worked on the sculpture groups of the Marble Bridge' pavilions at Christiansborg Palace and in 1744 and 1745 he created two large statues of Neptune and Mercury at Børsen (the originals are now in the Museum of Copenhagen). [2]
After Petzold's return to Denmark from Berlin, he initially worked on decorations for Christiansborg Palace (1749–50). The most prolific period of his career came in the 1750s when he carried out the rich decorations of the facade of Moltke's Mansion, one of the four Amalienborg mansions, as well as sculpture for Frederiks Hospital. His contributions at the hospital include the relief of the Good Samaritan in the pediment above the main entrance towards Bredgade.
From 1751 he was a professor at the predecessor of the Royal Art Academy and from its opening in 1754 until 1757 at the Art Academy. In 1755 he was appointed Sculptor to the Danish Court. However, Jacques Saly's appointment to director of the Art Academy in 1743 heralded a new era and although Petzold was no stranger to the Neoclassical style, he continued to prefer that of the Rococo. After a few years he gave up his position as professor and left Copenhagen, settling in Altona. He died in Schönfeld where he is also buried.
Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard was a Danish neoclassical and royal history painter, sculptor, architect, and professor of painting, mythology, and anatomy at the New Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen, Denmark. Many of his works were in the royal Christiansborg Palace, Fredensborg Palace, and Levetzau Palace at Amalienborg.
Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor and medalist of international fame, who spent most of his life (1797–1838) in Italy. Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a working-class Danish/Icelandic family, and was accepted to the Royal Danish Academy of Art at the age of eleven. Working part-time with his father, who was a wood carver, Thorvaldsen won many honors and medals at the academy. He was awarded a stipend to travel to Rome and continue his education.
Amalienborg is the official residence for the Danish royal family and is located in Copenhagen. Frederick VIII's palace complex has four identical Classical façades, effectively four palaces, with Rococo interiors, laid around an octagonal courtyard. At the centre is a large equestrian statue of Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families, but after Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794 the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various monarchs and their families have lived there, including today's King Frederik X and Queen Mary.
Christiansborg Palace is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Also, several parts of the palace are used by the Danish monarch, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel and the Royal Stables.
Johannes Wiedewelt, Danish neoclassical sculptor. He became a court sculptor, introducing neoclassical ideals to Denmark in the form of palace decorations, garden sculptures and artifacts and, especially, memorial monuments. He was undoubtedly the best known Danish sculptor before Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Louis August le Clerc, also known as Louis-Augustin le Clerc, was a French-born sculptor working in Denmark. He was born in Metz, France to copperplate engraver Sebastian le Clerc and his wife Charlotte van den Kerckhove. He was summoned to Denmark at the age of 47, and lived out the rest of his life there as a royal sculptor to the Danish Court and as professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Art. He helped introduce French Rococo artistic ideals to Denmark.
Jacques François Joseph Saly, also known as Jacques Saly, French-born sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Malta. He is commonly associated with his time in Denmark he served as Director of the Royal Danish Academy of Art (1754–71). His most noteworthy work is the equestrian statue Frederik V on Horseback at Amalienborg.
Johan Edvard Mandelberg, Swedish-born painter living in Denmark, was born at sea during a voyage between Stockholm and Livland, Sweden.
Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved, was a Danish architect. He introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo or late baroque style in Danish architecture during the 1730s–1740s. He designed and built some of the most prominent buildings of his time, a number of which still stand to this day. He also played an important role in the establishment of the Royal Danish Academy of Art, and was its first native-born leader.
Hieronimo Miani, also known as Hieronymus Miani, was an Italian history painter, who worked in Denmark as both a painter to the royal court of King Christian VI, and as a teacher.
Emil Jens Baumann Adolf Jerichau was a Danish sculptor. He belonged to the generation immediately after Bertel Thorvaldsen, for whom he worked briefly in Rome, but gradually moved away from the static Neoclassicism he inherited from him and towards a more dynamic and realistic style. He was a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and its director from 1857 to 1863.
Christian Gottlieb Vilhelm Bissen was a Danish sculptor. He was also a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts with great influence on the next generation of Danish sculptors and for a while served as its director. Bissen was trained in the Neoclassical tradition from Bertel Thorvaldsen but after a stay in Paris around 1880, he was influenced by Naturalism. With the equestrian statue of Absalon he turned to Neo-romanticism.
Jacob Fortling was a German-Danish sculptor, architect and industrialist, described as one of the most industrious people in the Denmark of his day. He came to Denmark at age 18 and embarked on a successful career, first as a sculptor and later also as an architect. He was also engaged in the production of building materials, owning several quarries in Norway. Just outside Copenhagen, on Amager's east coast, he founded Kastrup Værk, a large industrial facility combining a lime plant, a brickyard and a pottery.
The first Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, was built on Slotsholmen in 1745 as a new main residence for King Christian VI of Denmark. It was built on the same site as its predecessor, Copenhagen Castle, which had assumed a monstrous appearance and started to crumble under its own weight after several extensions.
Anders Bundgaard was a Danish sculptor.
Carl Frederik Stanley was an English-Danish sculptor, a leading proponent of early Neo-Classicism in Denmark.
Nicolas-Sébastien Adam, also called "Adam the Younger", was a French sculptor working in the Neoclassical style. He was born in Nancy and died in Paris.
Johann Gottfried Grund was a German-Danish sculptor. He created the sculptures in Nordmandsdalen at Fredensborg Palace. The sculptures in Nordmandsdalen have been replaced by replicas while Grund's original works have been moved to Christian IV's Brewhouse in Copenhagen.
Nicolai Dajon was a Danish sculptor. He served as director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1818 to 1821.
