Christensen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. On September 26, 1850, he was baptized into the LDS Church in Copenhagen by George P. Dykes. Christensen subsequently served as a missionary in his native Denmark. Christensen also served as a missionary in Norway beginning in the fall of 1853. While in Norway, Christensen was the first Mormon missionary to preach in Christiania. While in Christiana, Christensen taught Danquart Anthon Weggeland, who became another prominent early Utah artist. During his time as a missionary in Norway, Christensen was twice put in prison due to government officials not approving of the preaching of Mormonism In 1857, at the end of his service in Norway, Christensen set off for Utah Territory, stopping en route in England. He had met Elsie Scheel Haarby while serving in Norway, and he and Elsie married in Liverpool, England. They had planned to wait until reaching Utah to get married but leaders felt the trip would be easier if engaged couples got married before starting the journey. and they sailed for America on the Westmoreland. After reaching New York City, they traveled by railroad to Iowa City, Iowa, the end of the line, and from there set out for Utah Territory, traveling with the Christian Christiansen handcart company.
Painting
In 1862 Christensen did stage painting for a theatre in Springville, Utah. Early in his time in Utah, he could find so little demand for his artistic skills that he worked as a housepainter. The first major art work that Christensen undertook while in Utah was a commission from Dimick B. Huntington to do a collection of paintings from the Bible and Book of Mormon, in collaboration with Dan Weggeland. Christensen is best known for his Mormon Panorama, a series of 23 large paintings that depict the history of the church. Christensen also painted scenes from the Book of Mormon, such as Nephi and Zoram Return with the Record. Christensen's Book of Mormon paintings were originally issued by the Sunday School for use in classrooms; they were later issued in lithography form. Christensen began touring with the -long Mormon panorama in 1878. Christensen would transport it about Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, giving presentations along with the panorama. He did this during the winter when he was not busy working on his farm. After Christensen's death the panorama was stored away. Many years later it was discovered again and brought back to light, partly by the efforts of Boyd K. Packer. It would gain its fullest recognition almost a century later when it would be shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Christensen also painted some of the murals in the Manti and St. George Temples. Christensen also did paintings for the Manti Tabernacle. Another theme of some of Christensen's paintings was Manti and its surroundings. Christensen often collaborated with Dan Weggeland in his work in Utah.
Other Utah activities
During his first days in Utah, Christensen found little time to paint. He did various odd jobs such as laying brick and burning charcoal as well as farming. Christensen wrote many LDS hymns in Danish. Some of his translated texts are still in use. Christensen also wrote poetry and contributed to Bikuben. Later he would serve as an editor of that publication. He was also a coauthor of the History of the Scandinavian Mission. Christensen was an instructor in drawing and Danish at the Sanpete Stake Academy. Christensen served a second mission from 1865 to 1868. He went on a third mission to Denmark from 1887 to 1889, during which he worked as the editor of the Scandinaviens Stjerne. Christensen was the Sanpete Stake patriarch in 1901. He also worked in the LDS Church Historian's Office where he compiled materials related to the history of the church in Scandinavia.
Rediscovery
In a 1976 speech given at Brigham Young University, LDS Church apostle Boyd K. Packer recounted the rediscovery of Christensen's work: Christensen's 1900 painting Handcart Pioneers "has become the most widely published painting of the Mormon pioneer experience by an actual pioneer."
