Carl Rasmussen

Biography

He was the eldest of eleven children born to a master tailor who later became City Treasurer. At fifteen, he went to Copenhagen to learn the hosiery trade and completed his training in 1861. While there, however, he was attracted to the art works he saw and took drawing lessons with the architects Hans J. Holm and C.V. Nielsen. Later, he took lessons with the animal painter Didrik Frisch.

In need of some immediate income, he took passage as a cabin boy on a relative's merchant ship and visited Scotland; painting several works along the way. Upon returning, he enrolled in courses at the Copenhagen Technical College to improve his understanding of perspective.

At that time, he was able to obtain a scholarship to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied until 1866 with the landscape painter, C.F. Aagaard. His first showing was at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition in 1863. He would exhibit there regularly until his death.

Inspired by his sailing experience, he visited Greenland in 1870-71, making sketches that later became paintings, one of which was purchased for the Royal Collection. By 1880, he had become successful enough to get married, buy a home and establish a studio in Marstal on Ærø. His first work there was a large mural at Marstal Church, depicting Jesus calming the waters, which featured portraits of prominent local citizens.

In 1893, he was returning from Greenland on the brig Peru when he apparently fell overboard and drowned. He was last seen by the helmsman, standing aft with his easel. When he was reported missing, an extensive search of the area was conducted, but they were unable to find him.

His life became the subject of a novel: Sidste rejse (Last Journey, 2007) by Carsten Jensen. The largest collection of his works is at the Marstal Maritime Museum.