Artist

(b. 1587, København, d. 1639, København)

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Details

Danish architect and possible sculptor of Flemish origin, part of a family of architects, sculptors, and painters, active late 15th-late 17th centuries. He was the son of the architect Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder (c. 1550-1601), sibling of the architect Lourens van Steenwinckel (1585-1619), and father of the sculptor Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest (1639-1700). Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder was originally from Antwerp but had come to Denmark in 1576 to work on Kronborg Castle and subsequently became the preferred architect of Frederick II. Hans the Younger followed in his father's footsteps and together with his brother Lourens he went to the Netherlands to study architecture and stone carving with Hendrick de Keyser. The brothers Hans and Lourens van Steenwinckel were responsible for most of King Christian IV's many ambitious building projects, though it is often not clear exactly what their share was. Often many people have participated in the design of a building, and the enthusiastic king Christian IV himself is also known to have taken active part in the design of his many large buildings. In the beginning of his career, Hans van Steenwinckel worked mainly as a sculptor, executing works both for Kronborg Castle and Frederiksborg Palace. He is credited for the octagonal tower at Rosenborg Castle. After Lourens's death in 1619, Hans was appointed new Royal Master Builder, and took over ongoing projects, such as Christian IV's Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral, under development since 1613, and the newly commenced Stock Exchange in Copenhagen. His other works included Frederiksborg Castle (1602-20), Valdemars Castle (1631-39), Kronborg Castle (1637), and the Round Tower and Trinitatis Church (both in Copenhagen and completed after his death). //

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Category	Artists
Artists by letter	S
Artist nationality	Danish