Hieronimo Miani, also known as Hieronymus Miani, was an Italian

history painter History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

, who worked in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

as both a painter to the royal court of King Christian VI, and as a teacher. He was born in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, and was in the service of Karl Philip Emanuel of Pfalz in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

before being called to Denmark in 1739 to work for the royal court of King Christian VI. One of the court’s biggest projects at the time was the building and decoration of Christiansborg Palace in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

1733-1745, for which Miani painted a large

plafond A plafond (French for "ceiling"), in a broad sense, is a (flat, vaulted or dome) ceiling. A plafond can be a product of monumental painting or sculpture. Picturesque plafonds can be painted directly on plaster (as a fresco, oil, glutinous, s ...

or ceiling decoration with religious theme. The work was entitled "''Uretfærdighedens og lasternes flugt for den retfærdige Guds åsyn''" ("The Flight of Injustice and Vices at the Sight of the Just God"), and was painted 1739-1740. An oil painting of the same theme is in the collection of the Danish National Gallery (''Statens Museum for Kunst''). He also painted two large figure paintings from the story of Moses, as well as a painting of then Crown Prince Frederik V on horseback. These were all lost in the Christiansborg fire of 1794. An engraving based on the portrait of Frederik V still exists. In 1740 he and French sculptor, Louis August le Clerc, took over the leadership of the newly formed Christian VI’s Art Academy, The Drawing and Painting Academy (''Tegne- og maleriakademiet''), which had been left without a leader when

Hendrick Krock Hendrick Krock (21 July 1671 – 18 November 1738) was a Danish history painter who, from 1706, was the court painter of Frederick IV as well as his successor Christian VI. Along with Benoit Le Coffre set the tone for history painting in Denmark ...

died in 1738, This academy would eventually become the

Royal Danish Academy of Art The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Dani ...

(''Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi'') in the mid-1750s. Miani and le Clerc were both named professors at the Academy, while painter

Marcus Cardes Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a Asteroid belt, main belt asteroid, also known as List of minor planets: 369001–370000#088, ( ...

and medallionist Georg Wahl were freehand drawing teachers (''informatorer''). On 1 February 1740 the Academy opened its doors to all interested students, not only artists, but also art lovers and such professionals and handworkers for whom drawing could be an asset. A Royal Resolution of 24 August 1740 provided a measly subsidy of 500 Rdl from the King’s discretionary funds, and conditions at the school were miserable. For some period of time starting in 1744 the model school, which had only 10-16 students, took place at the Widow Lyders's house on ''Gammelstrand'' where Miani was lodging. Among Miani's students were Johannes Wiedewelt and Peter Cramer. Miani left Denmark in 1745-1746 with a royal gift ( severance pay), and returned to Italy. le Clerc continued alone in the role of Academy director after Miani's departure, and until architect

Nicolai Eigtved Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved (4 June 1701 – 7 June 1754) was a Danish architect. He introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo or late baroque style in Danish architecture during the 1730s–1740s. He design ...

took full control over the Academy.

External links

KID Kunst Index Danmark ("Art Index Denmark")

Danish Biographical Encyclopedia ("''Dansk biografisk Leksikion''")
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miani Danish artists 18th-century Danish people 18th-century Italian people Academic staff of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts History painters

See also

External links