Emil Wilhelm Normann was a Danish painter and naval officer.

Biography

Normann, who initially developed his painting abilities through his own resources, became a student in Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg

Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg

Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Duchy of Schleswig , to Henrik Vilhelm Eckersberg, painter and carpenter, and Ingeborg Nielsdatter...

's private school in 1825. Despite numerous interruptions including two voyages to the West Indies in 1823 and 1830, Normann and Eckersberg kept in touch. Indeed, it was Normann's corvette

Corvette

A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...

 that Eckerberg painted in 1827 and in 1834, as they were sailing around Zealand on the maiden voyage of the "Dronning Marie", the two went off in a rowing boat to paint the vessel in the Great Belt

Great Belt

The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...

. Normann continued to study marine painting as a component of his education as an officer, learning to distinguish between the manoevres of the various types of ship. Thanks to his friendship with Eckersberg, he established close contacts with Martinus Rørbye

Martinus Rørbye

Martinus Christian Wesseltoft Rørbye was a Danish painter, known both for genre works and landscapes. He was a central figure of the Golden Age of Danish painting during the first half of the 19th century....

, Fritz Petzholdt

Fritz Petzholdt

Ernst Christian Fritz Petzholdt was a Danish landscape painter of the Copenhagen School, also known as the Golden Age of Danish Painting...

 and Adam Müller

Adam August Müller

Adam August Müller , a Danish history painter, was one of Eckersberg's favourite students. Though he suffered from poor health and died when only 32, his work is recognized as an important component in Danish art.-Biography:...

. Rørbye painted his portrait in 1830. Normann did not sell his paintings but either gave them away or kept them for himself. Eckersberg had ten of Normann's paintings in his home.

Selected works

• Udsigt på Elben ved Altona (1829)
• Slaget på Rheden den 2. April 1801 (1830)
• Sejlskibe uden for en havn, i forgrunden fæstningsværk med kanoner (1832)
• Kanonbåden Delphinens ankomst til Christiansø (1834)
• Linieskibet Skjold sejler ud i renden, hvor korvetten Najaden ligger til ankers (1837)
• Slaget ved Øland den 1ste Juni 1676 (1840)