Peter Hansen

Danish artist, Peter Nielsen Fuglsang Hansen, Ontario’s 1890 decorator.

Peter Hansen. Self Portait. Undated. Published in Labassa lives Vol 5, Issue 3, 2017, pp.4-5  July2023


As well as decorating many of Melbourne’s ‘marvellous mansions’, Hansen (1862-1916) painted portraits and large scale reproductions of the European Masters.

After establishing a studio in Flinders Street, Melbourne, in 1897, Hansen supplemented his income by painting facsimiles of the Masters such as Peter Paul Rubens in an era when only a few people had the means or opportunity to visit European galleries.

When Hansen first arrived in Melbourne in 1888, he and friend John Kannuluik decorated many local churches. 

Hansen’s obituary (Norden, 23 September 1916) provides an insight into what else is missing from his body of work. ‚Amongst his effects are many excellent pencil studies and sketches from Italy. He himself prized best a picture which he called A Study in Black.‛

Source:  Extracts from "Man of many faces: Herr Hansen"  Vicki Shuttleworth.  Vol 5, Issue 3, 2017, pp.4-5.  https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Labassa-Lives-Vol5No3Dec2017.pdf  July2023


In search of ‘Hansen, decorator’: finding Peter Hansen

Peter Hansen, a painter and interior decorator, is likely to have made a number of portraits of Max Schramm probably c1900.

Although Danish born, Hansen had been raised as a Lutheran and was fluent in German. In May 1892, he married Anna Marie Fankhauser, daughter of a German migrant family who were orchard farmers in the Doncaster area in northeast Melbourne.31 It appears that Anna and Peter Hansen’s children attended a German school, as Peter was a member of the German School Association between 1902 and 1907.32 These close cultural connections within the German and Scandinavian communities assured Hansen of regular work.


DP0906 Oil painting portrait of Max Schramm (1828-1908) hangs in the dining room of Schramm's Cottage, Doncaster. c1900 (Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society). Likely to be one of many copies created by Peter Hansen around 1900.

Oil painting portrait of Max Schramm (1828-1908) hangs in Doncaster Lutheran Church, Doncaster.  Likely to be one of many copies created by Peter Hansen around 1900.  On back  in pencil is labelled "Pastor Schramm. 5. P. Hansen. Flinders Buildings Melbourne" Photo:Glenys Wollermann 



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