Alexander Christian Habbe (22 April 1829 – 14 April 1896) was a Danish-born artist in Australia, known for his scene paintings for major theatres in Sydney and Melbourne.

History

Habbe was born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

and saw action in the first

First Schleswig War The First Schleswig War (), also known as the Schleswig-Holstein uprising () and the Three Years' War (), was a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in the Schleswig–Holstein question: who should control the Du ...

of 1848, when Denmark attempted to annexe Holstein. He was severely injured in the fighting, and was nearly two years in a military hospital. In 1855, he left with his older brother, the painter Nicholas Francis Habbe (10 April 1827 – 11 November 1889) for Victoria, where the goldfields were being overrun by hopeful miners. He had no luck, but found employment with the canvas theatres of Ballarat: Tom Hetherington's Theatre Royal and the Charlie Napier and Montezuma theatres, painting scenery and backdrops for the various burlesques and plays that provided entertainment for the diggers and their families. Stage scenery was taken seriously by critics and audiences, and the artist was often credited alongside the actors. In 1858 he was employed by

George Coppin George Selth Coppin (8 April 1819 – 14 March 1906) was a comic actor, a theatrical entrepreneur, a politician and a philanthropist, active in Australia.Sally O'Neill,Coppin, George Selth (1819–1906), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', ...

, to paint scenes for the comedy ''An Unequal Match'' at the

Theatre Royal, Melbourne The Theatre Royal was one of the premier theatres for nearly 80 years in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 1855 to 1932. It was located at what is now 236 Bourke Street, once the heart of the city's theatre and entertainment distri ...

. One of his first assignments in Melbourne was in April 1859 alongside William Pitt and W. J. Wilson, painting scenes for J. R. Planche's ''The Yellow Dwarf'', directed by

Fred Younge Frederick George Younge (12 February 1825 – 6 December 1870) was an English comic actor, in Australia for six years. History Younge was born in London, a son of Richard and Sarah Elizabeth Younge. Younge and his wife Emma arrived in Melbourne i ...

, at the

. In 1860 he was in Sydney at the Victoria Theatre in Pitt-street, and afterwards at the Prince of Wales Opera House and the Queen's Theatre, then in 1865 left for Melbourne, where he worked for the opera impresario W. S. Lyster. His work for the 1880 production of ''

La Fille du Tambour-major ''La fille du tambour-major'' (, ''The Drum Major's Daughter'') is an opéra comique in three acts, with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Alfred Duru and Henri Chivot. It was one of the composer's last works, premiered less than a year bef ...

'' at the

Melbourne Opera House The Tivoli Theatre was an important venue in Melbourne's East End Theatre District, located at 249 Bourke Street near Swanston Street. The first theatre on the site opened in 1866, rebuilt in 1872 as the Prince of Wales Opera House, rebuilt again ...

was highly regarded. He was also associated with George Gordon, of the Princess's Theatre, for many years. His last notable work was for

George Rignold George Richard Rignold, , (1839 – 16 December 1912) was an English-born actor, active in Britain and Australia. Early life Rignold was born in Birmingham, England. He was the son of William Rignall, an actor and theatre manager, and his wife P ...

's ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

'', also at the

. One critic thought Habbe "not exactly of the calibre of

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Gordon Heuck ...

, Goatcher,

Brunton Brunton may refer to: Places *Brunton, Northumberland, England (near Alnwick) *Low Brunton, Northumberland, England (near Hexham) *Brunton, Wiltshire, England *Brunton Memorial Ground, Radlett, Hertfordshire, England *Brunton, Fife, Scotland; a Lis ...

, or

Hennings Hennings is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Artur Hennings (1940–2003), German chess master *Chad Hennings (born 1965), American football defensive lineman *Emmy Hennings (1885–1948), German performer and poet *Ernest Marti ...

, but did good work". He died after some months' suffering from cancer of an internal organ, which he bore with patience and courage. In life he had been called "Crabby Habbe" on account of his cynical disposition, but one biographer said that "like a crab-apple, he was all harshness outside, but a good deal of sweetness within". Another held that he "possessed a great fund of dry humor, and quiet sarcasm, which made him a most entertaining companion". He never married. His brother and mother both died in Sydney.

Other scene painters of Australia

* John Brunton * Alfred Clint * Phil Goatcher * George Gordon * Harry Grist *

John Hennings John Hennings (6 July 1835 – 13 October 1898) was a German-born theatrical scene painter and theatre manager active in Melbourne, Australia, from the mid-1850s to the early 1890s. During a career of over thirty-five years Hennings worked as a ...

* Harry Holmes * William Pitt * W. J. Wilson

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Habbe, Alexander Christian 1829 births 1896 deaths Danish emigrants 19th-century Australian painters Australian scenic designers Artists from Copenhagen