Educated at the royal art academy in 1878. Pupil of P.S Kroyer and Zahrtmann. Studied at Puvis de Chavannes in Paris in 1890. Worked later as an art teacher and professor at the royal art academy in Copenhagen and at the Academy in Berlin. Matthiesen worked primarily with portraits and landscapes. His portraits were very popular during his time and he received many official requests from nobles and military people. One of Matthiesens most famous works is the painting “Rigsdagsbilledet “ It took 6 years to complete and was a composition of 225 portraits in one scene. Each of the 225 characters were done after live models, and the painting is today considered as one of most important Danish works. It is today exhibited at the parliament in Copenhagen. In 1890 Matthiesen traveled to Paris, where he worked on landscapes every summer and spring from 1890-1895. In 1893 Matthiesen traveled to the United States where he worked with the Danish part of the exhibition for the World Fair in Chicago. In 1894 he traveled and worked all around Italy. In 1898-1899 he worked in Berlin. From 1908-1909 Matthiesen worked in Russia and in 1929 he traveled to Bangkok and India.
Selected Exhibitions:
World Fair, Chicago: 1893
The Glasgow School of Artists, Chicago: 1895.
The Brooklyn Museum: 1927.
Paris: 1925.
Berlin: 1908.
Saint Petersburg, Russia: 1908 and 1909.
Auction prices:
Oscar Matthiesen is listed in artprice.com where he has been sold for $14,689. (Habsburg, New York. 10-04-91. Lot no: 48)
Øbro Art Gallery 