Background
He was born in Flekkefjord in Norway and died in Copenhagen in Denmark.
illustrator painter writer draughtsman
He was born in Flekkefjord in Norway and died in Copenhagen in Denmark.
Abildgaard traveled throughout Denmark in order to create drawings of its tombstones, runes and other historic monuments. In 1753-1754 he was an illustrator and painter on historian Jacob Langebek"s tour to Sweden and the Baltic provinces. He is also remembered for his studies of topographical and geological conditions and phenomena.
From 1755 to 1778 he worked as a master draftsman at the Royal Gehejmearkivet in Copenhagen.
His drawings are presently kept at the National Museum of Denmark and at the Frederiksborg Museum in Hillerød and are regarded as important sources for antiquarian research.