Educated at the Royal Art Academy in 1882, and a pupil of Fr. Vermehren and Holger Gronvold, Rastrup grew up in an orphanage and was very poor. This experience influenced his art in his earlier years where he primarily worked on portraits of poor farmers and workers. Later, Rastrups talent drew the attention of the wealthy art collector Heinrich Hirschsprung (1836-1908). Hirschsprung was one of the first to discover Rastrup and helped him with financing his art materials. Besides Rastrup, Hirschsprung also financed and collected the works of the Skagen painters: P.S Kroyer and Michael Ancher. In 1892 Rastrup moved to the island Fyn, where he worked on landscapes and later got a job as an art teacher. Rastrup has traveled in Europe and moved to United States where he stayed from 1922-25.
Exhibitions:
Charlottenborg: 1890-91, 1917.
Kerteminde museum : 1984
Kunstforeningen: 1983
Auction prices:
Lars Rastrup is listed in artprice.com and has been sold for $6,410.
( Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen. 27-02- 1996. Lot no: 143)
Øbro Art Gallery 