Johan Thomas Lundbye

Johan Thomas Lundbye was a self-taught Danish painter and graphic artist, who specialized in depicting animals and landscapes. He was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, in 1818, where his father was a master painter. He showed an interest in drawing from an early age and was sent to Copenhagen to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. He won a gold medal and a scholarship in 1835, which enabled him to travel to Germany and Italy and study under various masters. He was influenced by the romantic movement and the works of Caspar David Friedrich, Claude Lorrain, and Nicolas Poussin. He returned to Denmark in 1838 and became one of the leading figures of the national romantic school of painting, along with P. C. Skovgaard and Lorenz Frølich. He painted many scenes of the Danish countryside, especially the landscapes of Zealand and Jutland, where he captured the light, atmosphere, and mood of the places. He also painted portraits of his friends and family, as well as animals, especially cows and sheep. He was a prolific graphic artist, who produced many drawings, etchings, and lithographs of various subjects. He was also a writer, who published several articles and essays on art and culture. He was a patriotic and idealistic person, who supported the Danish cause in the First Schleswig War. He volunteered as a soldier in 1848 and joined the army in Jutland. However, he was killed by an accidental gunshot wound on 25 April 1848, before he saw any action. He was buried in Bedsted Churchyard, near the place where he died. He is widely regarded as one of the most important Danish painters of his time and his works are exhibited in many museums and galleries in Denmark and abroad.