Janus Laurentius Ridter

Janus Laurentius Ridter (14 August 1954 – 30 November 1921) was a Danish painter and illustrator. He is remembered above all for his topographical watercolours and drawings of Copenhagen in the 1890s and 1900s.

Biography

Ridter was born in Åkirkirkeby on the island of Bornholm. He was an apprentice to a book seller but from an early age practiced his talent for painting and drawing. In 1874, Illustreret Tidende' accepted some a few of his drawings. In 1892, he enrolled at Copenhagen Technical School and also studied privately with the painter Carl Martin Soya-Jensen. He was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in November 1893 was a student there until January 1897.

Ridter created numerous watercolours from Copenhagen. From 1905 Ridter commenced his career as illustrator for C. Ferslew & Co.'s publications (De Ferslewske Blade), especially Aftenposten where he worked from 1906 to 1915.

He died in 1921 and is buried at Bispebjerg Cemetery.

Legacy

Together with Johan Thorsø, Ridter created the illustrations of Danish industrial enterprises in Danmarks industrielle Etablissementer which was published in 1887–89.

Many of Ridter's watercolours ar epreserved in the collections of Museum of Copenhagen and Øregård Museum.

• 
  The yard at Lehn's House on Strandgade in Christianshavn (1902)
• 
  Nordre Frihavnsvej in Østerbro (1902)
• 
  The now demolished Grand Hotel Nord on Vesterbrogade in Vesterbro (1905)
• 
  Gammel Strand with the old Højbro Bridge in the foreground (c.1850)
• 
  Store Kannikestræde (c. 1850)

External links

• J. L. Ridter at Kunstindeks Danmark