Antonio Jacobsen

1850-1921

European/American Artist

Known as the "Audubon of Steam Vessels," Jacobsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and received his art training there at the Royal Academy. He immigrated to American in 1871 and took a job painting decorations on commercial safes in New York City. With the encouragement of a steamship company, Jacobsen turned his attention toward portraits of ships and marine images. In 1880 he relocated his studio and residence permanently to West Hoboken, New Jersey. He received numerous painting commissions between 1876 and 1909 from shipping lines to render the image of a particular ship for each port where the companies maintained an office. Consequently, it was relatively common for him to paint numerous portraits of the same ship, only in different settings. His images of the ships were often based on the plans and blueprints supplied by the companies.