Welcome to Mølsted’s Studio

Mølsted’s Studio is located in the heart of Dragør Old Town in the very workshop where marine painter Christian Mølsted (1862–1930) worked for most of his life.

The exhibition features a wide selection of his art, from famous marine paintings to works inspired by local life in Dragør.

Behind the scenes with the marine painter

The studio offers a unique insight into Mølsted’s working life and artistic techniques. Alongside his well-known maritime paintings, you’ll discover scenes from Dragør and the surrounding area – everyday life, harbour activities and coastal landscapes he knew intimately.

Visitors experience not only the paintings but also the atmosphere in which Mølsted lived and worked. The collection showcases his eye for detail, his understanding of light and movement, and his storytelling through composition.

The Dragør boy who became a painter

Christian Mølsted was born and raised in the maritime town of Dragør, where ships and the sea were part of daily life.

As a child, he found inspiration in pilot Strømberg, who painted realistic ship portraits, and Mølsted quickly began sketching ships and harbour scenes himself.

Dragør as home and inspiration

In 1891, Mølsted married Ingine Dorothea Svendsen, and the family settled in his childhood home in Dragør.

In 1974, his daughters donated the studio and a large collection of paintings to Dragør Museum. Today, Mølsted’s Studio is part of Museum Amager.

Artistic training in Copenhagen

Mølsted studied at a technical school in Copenhagen, where he learned the fundamentals of drawing.

Despite changing artistic trends, he remained devoted to the classical academic style throughout his life.

A classical style with prestige

Mølsted completed training in drawing, plaster modelling, life drawing and painting schools. His clients included the Danish Ministry of the Navy, ship captains, members of the royal family and civil servants.

Although he never embraced modern movements such as Impressionism, he admired traditional salon painters and his teachers at the Royal Danish Academy, especially Carl Bloch.