Karl Hansen Reistrup


Frederik Karl Kristian Hansen Reistrup was a Danish sculptor, illustrator and ceramist. He is remembered in particular for the ceramics he produced for Herman A. Kähler's pottery factory in Næstved.

Early life

Born in Copenhagen, he studied ceramics under C. Albert, attended the Technical School in Copenhagen in preparation for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. He also attended the Académie Julian in Paris under Henri Chapu from 1885.

Career

After apprenticeships at the Kongelige Porcelainsfabrik and at the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, he joined Herman Kähler at his ceramics factory in Næstved in 1888 where he became artistic director. He produced many successful designs, especially for vases and jugs, often finished in the ruby lustre glaze known as Kähler red. He also decorated a number of buildings, producing friezes for the Aarhus Theatre, Marselisborg and Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
As a painter, from around 1910 he created patriotic scenes of horses and battles from the wars of the First and Second Schleswig Wars, also working as an illustrator in the same sphere. He also illustrated the works of Bernhard Severin Ingemann.
Although Hansen Reistrup is not considered to be an outstanding figure in Danish art, he is nevertheless remembered for his important contribution to ceramics.
Hansen Reistrup's son, Urban Hansen-Reistrup was an architect who was mainly active in Næstved.

Literature