Dan Weggeland
Encyclopedia
Danquart Anthon Weggeland (March 31, 1827 – June 2, 1918) is considered the "Father of Utah Art" and was an artist and teacher in the early history of Utah
.
), Norway
. At age sixteen he began studying with a portrait painter in Christiana and at age 20 he went to Copenhagen
where he eventually studied at the Danish Royal Academy of Art.
After two years in Copenhagen, Weggeland returned to Christiana, where he worked as a portrait painter and did some work for theatres.
In 1854, he was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and one of his main teachers was a missionary
who had also attended the Royal Academy of Art, C. C. A. Christensen. After being baptized a member of the LDS Church, Weggeland moved to England
. He served as a church missionary in England
from 1857 to 1861. He then went to New York City
where he studied with Daniel Huntington
and George P. A. Healey.
In 1862, Weggeland went on to Florence, Nebraska
, from which he left in August for Utah Territory
. Weggeland journeyed to Utah in the Henry W. Miller Company. Weggeland made sketches on his journey to Utah.
During his early days in Utah Weggeland would occasionally trade a painting for a pair of well-knit socks.
Weggeland's first major artistic work in Utah was his joint commission with C. C. A. Christensen to do a series of paintings from the Bible
and Book of Mormon
. This commission came from Dimick B. Huntington
.
Weggeland made many paintings involving Mormon pioneers.
Weggeland did murals for the St. George
, Manti
, Logan
and Salt Lake
Temples
of the LDS Church. He had also served as an art instructor to most of the church's art missionaries before they went to France
.
Weggeland died in Salt Lake City, Utah
.
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Biography
Weggeland was born in the city of Christiansand (now KristiansandKristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
), Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. At age sixteen he began studying with a portrait painter in Christiana and at age 20 he went to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
where he eventually studied at the Danish Royal Academy of Art.
After two years in Copenhagen, Weggeland returned to Christiana, where he worked as a portrait painter and did some work for theatres.
In 1854, he was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and one of his main teachers was a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
who had also attended the Royal Academy of Art, C. C. A. Christensen. After being baptized a member of the LDS Church, Weggeland moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He served as a church missionary in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1857 to 1861. He then went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he studied with Daniel Huntington
Daniel Huntington
Daniel Huntington , American artist, was born in New York City, New York, the son of Benjamin Huntington, Jr. and Faith Trumbull Huntington; his paternal grandfather was Benjamin Huntington, delegate at the Second Continental Congress and First U.S. Representative from Connecticut...
and George P. A. Healey.
In 1862, Weggeland went on to Florence, Nebraska
Florence, Nebraska
Florence is a neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska on the city's north end and originally one of the oldest cities in Nebraska. It was incorporated by the Nebraska Territorial Legislature on March 10, 1857. The site of Winter Quarters for Mormon migrants traveling west, it has the oldest cemetery for...
, from which he left in August for Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. Weggeland journeyed to Utah in the Henry W. Miller Company. Weggeland made sketches on his journey to Utah.
During his early days in Utah Weggeland would occasionally trade a painting for a pair of well-knit socks.
Weggeland's first major artistic work in Utah was his joint commission with C. C. A. Christensen to do a series of paintings from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. This commission came from Dimick B. Huntington
Dimick B. Huntington
Dimick Baker Huntington was a leading Indian interpreter in early Utah Territory. He also commissioned the Church History Panorama of C. C. A. Christensen to use in his presentations of the gospel to the Native Americans....
.
Weggeland made many paintings involving Mormon pioneers.
Weggeland did murals for the St. George
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
, Manti
Manti Utah Temple
The Manti Utah Temple is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third LDS temple built west of the Mississippi River after the Mormons' great trek westward. The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple)...
, Logan
Logan Utah Temple
The Logan Utah Temple is the 4th constructed and 2nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Logan, Utah, it was the second LDS temple built in the Rocky Mountains .The LDS temple in Logan was announced on May 18, 1877, just after the dedication...
and Salt Lake
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
Temples
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
of the LDS Church. He had also served as an art instructor to most of the church's art missionaries before they went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Weggeland died in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.