Portrait photos of Rasmus Malling-Hansen

The Malling-Hansen Society has in it's archives a large collection of Malling-Hansen portraits - the first one taken in 1860, when Malling-Hansen was 25 years old - the last one taken in august 1890, shortly before his death. Most of our pictures we have received from Malling-Hansen's descendants, but there are also a great deal of pictures in different public collections in Denmark. The small portrait pictures taken in those days, were usually copied in a large number, and given away to friends and family, and thus the same picture can often be found in different places. The picture above, to the left - of the young Malling-Hansen - belongs to The Royal Library in Copenhagen. They have a collection of about 30 pictures of Malling-Hansen and his family. The next picture is from the Heiberg Museum in Sogndal in Norway. Malling-Hansen's first wife, Cathrine Georgia Heiberg belonged to a large familiy with members both in Norway and Denmark, and in the family-museum in Sogndal, they have a large collection of photos of her family. Then there is a picture taken in 1885, that belongs to a private collection. The picture to the right, of the old Malling-Hansen, comes from the private collection of some grand grand children of Malling-Hansen. The colouring is from present days.

: Photo of Malling-Hansen, taken in 1883. Copyright: The Royal Library in Copenhagen

: This photo is taken in the same year. Maybe at the same occation? Photo: Private

Several artists have made portraits of Malling-Hansen, but unfortunately we don't always know their names. This is the case with the woodcut below. When illustrations were needed in articles in these days, the printing teknik did not allow the use of photographies. Instead, an artist made pen drawings or printings of the person and the events.

: This woodcut of the relatively young Malling-Hansen belongs to the town museum of Copenhagen.

: And here is the photo the artist has copied, probably taken somtimes during the 1870'ies. The photo belongs to The Royal Library in Copenhagen

Below, some more graphic prints of Malling-Hansen - also with the artist unknown. The picture to the right is the same portrait that Ludvig Brandstrup worked after when he maid the portrait of Malling-Hansen at the tombstone for Malling-Hansen's grave.

: Copyright: The Royal Library in Copenhagen

: Portrait from 1885. Photo: The Heiberg Museum in Sogndal, Norway

: Copyright: The Royal Library in Copenhagen

: Portrait from 1887. Photo: Private collection

: Malling-Hansen had developed his own "touch"-system, and each finger had its own keys to press down, the fastest fingers touching the most frequently used letters. Maybe it looked a little like on this drawing when Malling-hansen sat down to write his letters? He was known to be a very heavy smoker, therefore the sigar! Drawing: Sverre Avnskog

Oslo 03.12.2006

Sverre Avnskog