Focus on The Danish Constituent Assembly and discuss the History.
Alfred Hage's homes in Copenhagen and in Stokkerup on the Øresund coast were frequented by writers, artists, politicians and actors. Hage's brother, Hother Hage, himself a politician, introduced him to other National Liberal leaders. Hage made his homes available to political salons and hosted confidential meetings between leading politicians of the time. His niece, Annette Marie Bolette Puggaard, was from 1844 married to Orla Lehmann  who was one of the principal writers of the constitution in 1848–49. It was Lehmann who first presented Hage with the idea of commissioning the painting of the founding fathers at Christiansborg Palace.  Hage commissioned the painting from Constantin Hansen in  1860. Hansen had previously painted several portraits of Hage and his family.Painting an event that took place 12 years back, Hansen had to rely on old photographs, drawings and even busts in his work with painting the many portraits. The monumental painting was completed in late 1864 or early 1865.
The painting was after its completion installed in Hage's home in the Harsdorff House on Kongens Nytorv. It was from 31 May to 14 June possible for the public to see the painting in his home on the payment of an entrance fee the revenues of which went to weterans of the Second Schleswig War. A total of 2,898 people visited the exhibition over the two week period.On 11 November 1865, The newspaper Fædrelandet brought an article written by Philip Weilbach about the painting.
The painting hang in Hage's home until his widow donated it to the Danish state.
Copenhagen Hother Hage Philip Weilbach Christiansborg Palace Øresund Constantin Hansen Kongens Nytorv National Liberal Fædrelandet Second Schleswig War Orla Lehmann Harsdorff House Danish