Cladius Detlev Fritzsch

Cladius Detlev Fritzsch was a Danish painter and naval officer who specialized in marine scenes. He was born in Copenhagen in 1832 to a family of painters and engravers. He joined the Royal Danish Navy at the age of 15 and served as a lieutenant until 1859. During his naval career, he visited many countries and regions, such as the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Baltic Sea, and Greenland. He also participated in the First Schleswig War and the Second Schleswig War, where he was wounded in action. He used his naval experiences as inspiration for his paintings and drawings, which depicted ships, battles, coastlines, and harbors. He was influenced by the works of Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Martinus Rørbye, and Anton Melbye, who were also marine painters. He exhibited his works at Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition from 1853 to 1865. He died of tuberculosis in Copenhagen in 1865, leaving behind hundreds of paintings and drawings that are now highly valued by collectors and museums.