Quizzes
Quick Facts
- Also spelled:
- Nikolaj-Abraham Abilgaard
- Born:
- September 11, 1743, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Died:
- June 4, 1809, Frederiksdal (aged 65)
- Movement / Style:
- Neoclassical art
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Abildgaard, Nicolai: The Midwife Taking Leave of the Girl from Andros
The Midwife Taking Leave of the Girl from Andros, oil on canvas by Nicolai Abildgaard, 1801; in the National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen.
Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard
Danish painter
Also known as: Nikolaj-Abraham Abilgaard
Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard (born September 11, 1743, Copenhagen, Denmark—died June 4, 1809, Frederiksdal) was a renowned Danish painter of the late 18th century and one of the early Neoclassicists.
Nicolai Abildgaard: The Wounded PhiloctetesThe Wounded Philoctetes, oil on canvas by Nicolai Abildgaard, 1775; in the National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen.
During 1772–77 Abildgaard studied in Rome, where he was primarily influenced by antique sculpture and Roman wall paintings. His style was classical, though with a romantic trend, and he had a remarkable sense of colour. Many of his paintings are melodramatic interpretations of episodes from ancient literature. He taught at the Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts, of which he became director in 1789. Bertel Thorvaldsen, the prominent Danish sculptor, was his pupil.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.