Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein Stub

Engraving of Kratzenstein Stub by Wilhelm Heuer, c. 1800

Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein Stub (15 August 1783 – 24 July 1816[1]), also written Kratzenstein-Stub, was a Danish painter, mainly of mythological subjects popular in Denmark at the time.[2]

Biography

Early life and education

An early painting: Cupid with the butterfly, 1810

Christian was born in Copenhagen in 1783, the son of Otto Frederik Stub (1753–1827), an officer in the Royal Danish Navy, and Louise Elisabeth née Kratzenstein (1757–1844), daughter of professor Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein.[3]

Stub initially lived with his maternal grandfather, whose surname he later adopted. After his grandfather's death in 1795, Stub attended Salzmann’s school near Gotha, where he began showing artistic talent through wax figure sculptures. Returning to Copenhagen, he excelled academically, passing the matriculation exam in 1802 with distinction.[3]

With an inheritance from his grandfather, Stub initially pursued studies in mechanics and hydraulics, but soon shifted fully towards art, briefly studying under Nicolai Abildgaard before choosing to be self-taught. His engagement in 1808 to Mille Johanne Smith inspired a deeper focus on his painting career.[3]

France and Italy

To further his artistic education, Stub traveled to France and Italy in 1809. In Paris, he was influenced by François Gérard, and in Rome by Bertel Thorvaldsen. He completed the painting Cupid with the butterfly in 1810 during his Italian stay.[3]

Return to Denmark

Ossian and Alphin's son listen to Malvin's spirit

Returning to Copenhagen in 1811, Stub married and began producing lively portraits, primarily depicting Copenhagen’s elite. He also focused on mythological compositions, especially themes from Ossian's poetry.[3][4][5] Although many of his compositions remained sketches, he completed notable works like Ossian and Alphin's son and Hother and the three forest nymphs, earning membership at the Danish Academy.[3]

Death

Stub's health deteriorated after the death of his daughter. Suffering from depression and reliant on music to paint, he contracted tuberculosis in 1816 and died at Kalundborg Ladegård. He was buried at St. Olai’s Cemetery, Kalundborg.[3][6]

Appreciation of his art

Compared artist Asmus Jacob Carstens: Bacchus and Cupid, 1796

Stub's works were highly praised during his lifetime for their emotional beauty and skilled allegory, admired notably by Friederike Brun. His paintings were often compared to those of Asmus Jacob Carstens, reflecting lyrical beauty and sentimental charm.[3]

References

  1. ^ Weilbach 1878.
  2. ^ "Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein Stub". Museum-Digital. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Bricka 1905.
  4. ^ Okun, Henry (1967). "Ossian in painting". Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 30 (1): 327–356. doi:10.2307/750749. JSTOR 750749. S2CID 195003210.
  5. ^ Celenza, Anna H. Harwell (1998). "Efterklange Af Ossian: The Reception of James Macpherson's 'Poems of Ossian' in Denmark's Literature, Art, and Music". Scandinavian Studies. 70 (3): 359–396. JSTOR 40920065.
  6. ^ "Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein Stub". gravsted.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 27 July 2023.

Sources

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