In smoke and steam!

The collection of soldier sculptures up for auction features various points of impact in Danish military history. The sculptures depict soldiers from the First Schleswig War from 1848–50 and its sequel in 1864, which ended in defeat for Denmark and led to the loss of the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg. The collection also includes a couple of sculptures depicting Christian IX and Christian X. It was under Christian IX that Denmark lost the duchies, and under Christian X that reunification with Southern Jutland took place.

The soldier sculptures are primarily the work of Carl Theodor Wegener (1862–1935), but other artists are also represented, including Hermann Wilhelm Bissen, Nicolai Outzen Schmidt, C.C. Peters and Augustus Hassel. Most of the sculptures are made of patinated bronze and, to a lesser extent, painted callipasta.

Artistic passion for military history

Wegener was born into a family with deep-rooted connections to the military. His father was a colonel, and Wegener himself served as second lieutenant in the Danish army from 1884. In 1890, he was promoted to first lieutenant in the Royal Danish Life Guards, later company commander in the Life Guards’ Line Battalion, and in 1913, he was given the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the reserve.

As an artist, Wegener was self-taught, and his works were heavily influenced by his military career. He primarily made soldiers from the various Danish wars throughout history. Wegener’s works were exhibited at Charlottenborgs Foraarsudstilling (spring exhibition) in 1908–09, Landsudstillingen (the national exhibition) in Aarhus in 1909 and Kunstnerforeningen af 18. november 1921 (the artists’ association) in 1923–24.  

“For King and People”

The soldier sculptures were acquired from the 1970s to 2005 by a collector who was highly fascinated by the items relating to the military. Distinctive uniforms, harmonious builds and dynamic movement characterise the sculptures up for auction, all of which have been collected with a strong artistic sense of quality.  

The collector himself had a military background, having served as a guardsman in 1953. He therefore had an insight into the history of the Royal Danish Life Guards and he lived out the motto of being present “for king and people”. It is his son who has now decided to put his father’s collection up for auction.

Preview and auction

Bids can be submitted from 3 pm on Friday 23 January until 8 pm on Monday 2 February. The preview takes place at Sundkrogsgade 30 in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn from Saturday 24 January until the day of the auction. View opening hours

View the entire collection