Frederik Christian Jakobsen Kiaerskou

Frederik Christian Jakobsen Kiærskou, also known as F.C. Kiærskou, was a prominent Danish painter who specialized in landscapes. He was born in Copenhagen in 1805, where his father was a clerk in the Police Court. He lost both parents at the age of nine and was placed in an orphanage, where he received an elementary education. He showed an interest in painting from an early age and was sent to Hamburg to apprentice with a German painter. He later attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he won several prizes for his biblical paintings. He traveled to Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland, where he painted many landscapes and learned from the works of other artists. He returned to Copenhagen in 1843 and became the court painter of the Danish royal family. He also served as the director of the Academy and taught many young artists. He painted more than 800 landscapes, many of which are on display at Frederiksborg Castle and other museums. He also painted some portraits, genre scenes, and historical paintings. He is regarded as one of the leading Danish landscape painters of the 19th century and one of the most influential figures in Danish art history. He died in 1891 at the age of 86.