Background
Astrup was born in Kristiania, the son of Harald Astrup (1831–1914), a wholesaler, and his wife, Johanne Emilie Smith (1836–1915).
Astrup was born in Kristiania, the son of Harald Astrup (1831–1914), a wholesaler, and his wife, Johanne Emilie Smith (1836–1915).
The young Astrup was educated at the private Gjertsen School in Kristiania, before embarking on his philological and mercantile studies in England and Belgium. In 1895, the company Astrup & Smith, founded by his father on 6 August 1857, appointed Astrup as its office chief He became part owner in 1906.
The company subsequently changed name from Astrup & Smith to Astrup & Søn.
Astrup became the sole owner of the company in 1914. Representing the Oslo Conservative Party, Astrup was elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1924.
He sat through one term. Astrup also had positions in parliamentary committees, in Statens metalsentral (1918–1920) and in boards of Norwegian corporations.
He chaired Standards Norway from 1924 to 1934 and Christiania Søforsikringsselskab from 1932 to 1944, as well as Norsk Spisevognselskap, Grubernes Sprængstoffabriker and Dalen Portland.
He died in August 1949, aged 76.
He was a board member of Norges Handelsog Sjøfartstidende from 1917 to 1933, Den norske Creditbank from 1928 to 1944 (deputy chairman since 1932), Storebrand and Idun from 1931 to 1946, as well as Elektrokemisk. He was also a supervisory council member of Filharmonisk Selskap.