JOHAN LAURENTS JENSEN

Johan Laurents Jensen

Johan-Laurents Jensen was born on March 8, 1800, in Gjentofte, near Copenhagen. He began his formal art training at the age of 14, studying under Fritzsch at the Copenhagen Academy, where he won medals in 1817 and 1818. In 1822 Jensen moved to France to study porcelain manufacturing in Sevres, where Crown Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark had recommended him. He remained there for a few months until he was appointed Principal Painter at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory in 1825. Jensen's paintings show a high degree of finish; his colors are pure and brilliant. He combines firmness with sensitivity and subtlety in a most appealing and competent way.

Jensen's work has been largely influenced by the great 18th century Dutch Master, Jan Van Huysum. From 1833-1835 Jensen lived in a Scandinavian artist colony in Rome, where he met the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldson (I 768-1844), Thorvaldsen's vases are rendered in these paintings, and are on display in the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen today. Upon his return to Denmark in 1835, Jensen was appointed a professor at the Royal Danish Academy. o Works by Jensen can be seen at the Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Altona Museum,The Oldenburg Museum,The Copenhagen Museum,Thoravldsen Museum, and The Montpellier Museum.