Wilhelm Marstrand

Wilhelm Marstrand was a Danish illustrator and painter in the 1900s known for both genre and history paintings. Genre paintings depicted the daily lives of everyday people, but Marstrand moved toward history paintings—scenes from Greek mythology and epic historical moments—as a young student in order to gain more critical and academic approval. His affinity for genre is clear however, as he often managed to include the hustle and bustle of city life in his history paintings. He eventually gained the respect of the academy, becoming a professor and great influencer to his students, many of whom went on to become established painters in their own rights. Peder Severin Krøyer was one of Marstrand’s most notable students, but he was an influence on Denmark’s Skagen School more broadly.