Mads Alstrup | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1808 (1808) |
| Died | 1876 (aged 67–68) Falun, Sweden |
Mads Alstrup (1808–1876) was the first Danish portrait photographer with his own studio.
From the opening of his studio in 1842, until he left the country in 1858, he produced an estimated 33,000daguerreotypes in theCopenhagen area, before his business suffered beginning in 1857. He moved toSweden in 1858 and continued to take portraits there until he died in 1876. He is considered one of the pioneers ofphotography in Denmark.[1]
Born inViborg, Denmark and trained as a goldsmith, Alstrup initially had a business inRanders inJutland. In the summer of 1842, he moved toCopenhagen and set up a daguerreotype studio behind the Hercules Pavilion in theRosenborg Castle Gardens. In this popular area of the city, he found many clients interested in having their portraits taken.[2] He advertised an exposure time of 1 minute.[3]
From 1843 to 1848, he travelled around Denmark, spending a few days or weeks in different towns where he set up temporary studios. In 1849, he finally settled in Copenhagen, opening a studio at a central location on Østergade nearKongens Nytorv.
Constantly investing in new equipment, the quality of his work improved over time. It is estimated he produced 33,000 daguerreotypes in the 16 years he worked in Denmark.[4]
After leaving Denmark in 1857, Alstrup moved to Sweden where he was nomadic, similar to his early Danish career. In 1859, he was inHälsingborg andKristianstad and in 1860,Gothenburg where he stayed for a few years. In 1863, he practiced inMalmö with G.S. Ekeund. He died inFalun, Sweden, in 1876.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
