Niels Simonsen

Bio

A painter, sculptor and lithographer, Simonsen studied at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen as a student of the great Danish painter J.L. Lund. It was in Munich, though, where his career as a painter really began; during his extended stay in Germany he traveled extensively, making repeated trips to Italy and, in 1839-40 traveling as far as Algeria. Upon his return to Copenhagen in 1845, Simonsen gained membership to the Royal Academy, where he was foremost known as a painter of historical battle scenes. In 1854 Simonsen was honored with a professorship there.