Just Mathias Thiele
Encyclopedia
Just Mathias Thiele was a Danish
writer and art historian
. A central personage during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 18th century, he contributed to Danish cultural life in a number of capacities. He collected and published Danish folk tale
s with inspiration from the Brothers Grimm
and founded the Royal Print Collection, today part of the Danish National Gallery
. After the death of Bertel Thorvaldsen
, he saved his archives and other papers and based on them he wrote his first biography.
He was the father of Thorvald Nicolai Thiele.
. After receiving his schooling at the Metropolitan School and studying privately with A.G. Rudelbach, he had his debut in 1816 in Danfana, a magazine, before publishing his first book, a novel named Bjergmandsdalen, the following year.
From 1817 to 1835 he was employed at the Royal Danish Library. During this phase, with inspiration from the Brothers Grimm
, he collected Danish folk tales, relying on both written sources and oral ones which he collected on travels around the country. He published them in four volumes as Danske Folkesagn I–IV between 1818 and 1823 (extended edition 1843). He also wrote poetry and drama but to no great acclaim and his works within that field are forgotten today.
where he became a close friend of Bertel Thorvaldsen
who would also become a major focus for his academic writings with Den danske Billedhugger Bertel Thorvaldsen og hans Værker, I–IV ("The Danish Sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and his oeuvre, I–IV") published from 1831 to 1850 and Thorvaldsens Biographie, 1-4 from 1851-56.
Thiele was also a member of the committee for the foundation of Thorvaldsens Museum
. After Thorvaldsen's death, he was effective in saving his archives and other papers from destruction.
. He served as inspector at the collection from 1835 and its director from 1861.
Just Mathias Thiele was throughout his life an active part of the cultural environment in Copenhagen. Still a student, he became part of the circle of artists and intellectuals around Knud Lyne
and Kamma Rahbek
at Bakkehuset
, a time he conmemorated in Erindringer fra Bakkehuset ("Memoirs from Bakkehuset") published in 1869. He was also part of the salon life at Sophienholm
which revolved around Friederike Brun
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
writer and art historian
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
. A central personage during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 18th century, he contributed to Danish cultural life in a number of capacities. He collected and published Danish folk tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
s with inspiration from the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
and founded the Royal Print Collection, today part of the Danish National Gallery
Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
. After the death of Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
, he saved his archives and other papers and based on them he wrote his first biography.
He was the father of Thorvald Nicolai Thiele.
Early life and literary production
Just Mathias Thiele was born on 13 December 1795 in CopenhagenCopenhagen
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...
. After receiving his schooling at the Metropolitan School and studying privately with A.G. Rudelbach, he had his debut in 1816 in Danfana, a magazine, before publishing his first book, a novel named Bjergmandsdalen, the following year.
From 1817 to 1835 he was employed at the Royal Danish Library. During this phase, with inspiration from the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, he collected Danish folk tales, relying on both written sources and oral ones which he collected on travels around the country. He published them in four volumes as Danske Folkesagn I–IV between 1818 and 1823 (extended edition 1843). He also wrote poetry and drama but to no great acclaim and his works within that field are forgotten today.
Relationship to Bertel Thorvaldsen
Thiele's publication of Danish folk tales was rewarded with a scholarship. He traveled to RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he became a close friend of Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
who would also become a major focus for his academic writings with Den danske Billedhugger Bertel Thorvaldsen og hans Værker, I–IV ("The Danish Sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and his oeuvre, I–IV") published from 1831 to 1850 and Thorvaldsens Biographie, 1-4 from 1851-56.
Thiele was also a member of the committee for the foundation of Thorvaldsens Museum
Thorvaldsens Museum
The Thorvaldsen Museum is a single-artist museum in Copenhagen, Denmark, dedicated to the art of Danish neoclassicistic sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen , who lived and worked in Rome for most of his life . The museum is located on the small island of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen next to...
. After Thorvaldsen's death, he was effective in saving his archives and other papers from destruction.
Art administration
Thiele was secretary at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1825 to 1871. While working at the Royal Library, he was the main force behind saving its neglected collection of 70,000 prints which became the basis for establishing the Royal Print Collection, today part of the holdings of the Danish National GalleryStatens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
. He served as inspector at the collection from 1835 and its director from 1861.
Family and friends
Thiele married Hanne Aagesen in 1838. Their children included:- Thorvald N. ThieleThorvald N. ThieleThorvald Nicolai Thiele was a Danish astronomer, actuary and mathematician, most notable for his work in statistics, interpolation and the three-body problem. He was the first to propose a mathematical theory of Brownian motion...
(1838–1910) who became a prominent astronomerAstronomerAn astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, actuaryActuaryAn actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
and mathematicianMathematicianA mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, internationally recognized as one of the Founders of statisticsFounders of statisticsStatistics is the theory and application of mathematics to the scientific method including hypothesis generation, experimental design, sampling, data collection, data summarization, estimation, prediction and inference from those results to the population from which the experimental sample was drawn...
. - Ida Wilde née Thiele (1830–1862) who is conmemorated in Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
's tale Little Ida's Flowers.
Just Mathias Thiele was throughout his life an active part of the cultural environment in Copenhagen. Still a student, he became part of the circle of artists and intellectuals around Knud Lyne
Knud Lyne Rahbek
Knud Lyne Rahbek was a Danish literary historian, critic, writer, poet & magazine editor.Knud Lyne Rahbek was son of the clergyman Jacob Rahbek, but he had always wanted to become an actor. In his youth he tried out as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre, but because of his looks he was...
and Kamma Rahbek
Kamma Rahbek
Kamma Rahbek , née Heger , was a Danish artist, salonist and lady of letters....
at Bakkehuset
Bakkehuset
Bakkehuset is a historic house museum in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Dating from the 1520s, it is has served a number of functions over the years, including as a farmhouse, inn, private home, psychiatric hospital and orphanage...
, a time he conmemorated in Erindringer fra Bakkehuset ("Memoirs from Bakkehuset") published in 1869. He was also part of the salon life at Sophienholm
Sophienholm
Sophienholm is a former country house and exhibition venue located north on the shore of Lake Bagsværd in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the northern outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark....
which revolved around Friederike Brun
Friederike Brun
Friederike Brun, née Münther , was a Danish author and salonist.She was married to the affluent merchant Constantin Brun and during the Danish Golden Age of the first half of the 19th century she arranged literary salons at Sophienholm, their summer retreat north of Copenhagen.-Early...
.
Works
- Danske Folkesagn, I-IV. Copenhagen. 1818-23.
- Den danske Billedhugger Bertel Thorvaldsen og hans Værker, I-IV, Copenhagen. 1831-1850.
- Danmarks Folkesagn, I-II. Copenhagen. 1843. (Optrykt 1968).
- Den danske Almues overtroiske Meninger. (= Danmarks Folkesagn III). Copenhagen. 1860. (Optrykt 1968).
- Thorvaldsens Biographie, I-IV. Copenhagen. 1851-1856.
- Erindringer fra BakkehusetBakkehusetBakkehuset is a historic house museum in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Dating from the 1520s, it is has served a number of functions over the years, including as a farmhouse, inn, private home, psychiatric hospital and orphanage...
, Copenhagen. 1869. - Af mit Livs Aarbøger, I-II. 1873 (new collected edition with Erindringer fra Bakkehuset, with notes by Carl Dumreicher, 1917).
See also
- Danish National GalleryStatens Museum for KunstStatens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
- Danish folkloreDanish folkloreDanish folklore consists of folk tales, legends, songs, music, dancing, popular beliefs and traditions comuminicated by the inhabitants of towns and villages across the country, often passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth. As in neighbouring countries, interest in folklore grew...