Carl Johan Bonnesen

Carl Johan Bonnesen
Bonnesen photographed in his studio, c. 1900
Born	26 May 1868 Aalborg, Denmark
Died	Copenhagen, Denmark
Education	Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
Known for	Sculpting
Awards	Eckersberg Medal, 1900 Thorvaldsen Medal, 1930

Carl Johan Bonnesen (26 May 1868 - 13 December 1933) was a Danish sculptor.

Early life

Bonnesen was born on 26 May 1868 in Aalborg. He first trained to become a carpenter for two years before moving to Copenhagen where he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1887. There he studied under Theobald Stein and Christian Carl Peters before graduating in 1889.

Extensive travels

After completing his education, Bonnesen travelled extensively through the 1890s. From 1894 to 1895 he stayed in Paris where he was in contact with the circle around Stephan Sinding with whom he had more in common than he had with Stein and Peters, his former teachers.^[1] In 1898 he made a journey to Egypt and East Asia and his travellings also brought him to America.^[2]

Career

Adam and Eve at the body of Abel, 1900

Bonnesen had a large and diverse production of statues and statuettes. These include Adam and Eve at the body of Abel (1900) and Two Lions in the Danish National Gallery as well as several statuettes in The Hirschsprung Collection.

Many of Bonnesen's plaster casts have since 1969 been exhibited in Thingbæk Kalkminer near Rebild Bakker.

List of public statues

• A Barbarian, Garden of the Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen (1891)
• Thor's battle against the Jötunns, roof of the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse, Copenhagen (1901)
• Diana (equestrian statue), Trondhjems Plads, Copenhagen (1908)
• Christian IX (equestrian statue), John F. Kennedys Plads, Aalborg
• The Musician, Mozarts Plads, Copenhagen (1913)
• The Mother, Amorparken, Copenhagen (1932)
• Thor at War with the Giants, Grounds of Glud & Marstrand, Odense DK (1926)

Awards

• Eckersberg Medal, 1900
• Thorvaldsen Medal, 1930

Gallery

• 

  A Barbarian, Garden of the Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen (1891)

• 

  Thor's battle against the Jötunns, roof of the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse, Copenhagen (1901)

• 

  Diana (equestrian statue), Trondhjems Plads, Copenhagen (1908)

• 

  Christian IX, Aalborg (1910)

References

1. "Carl Bonnesen". Kundtindeks Danmark (in Danish). Kulturstyrelsen. Retrieved 2011-04-07.
2. Skov, Vibeke. "Carl J. Bonnesen". Den Store Dansk (in Danish). Gyldendal. Retrieved 2011-04-07.