iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Saluting the Queen of Denmark at castle Kronborg on her recent birthday. The bronze guns are from the 18th century. Yes, it was quite loud and no, AI was not used!

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Beautiful exhibition of the 18th century Danish portrait artist Jens Juel has just opened at the art museum Brandts in Odense, Denmark. My favorite painting shows a Chinese sailor in Copenhagen, wearing a borrowed mandarin suit in the 1780s - likely one of the very first Chinese to visit Denmark!

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

How it can sometimes feel to be a maritime historian - constantly having to defend the importance of ships, shipping and sailors :-) #maritimehistory

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Had the pleasure of examining three of my museums wonderful figures of Danish-Norwegian supercargoes, created by a Chinese facemaker-artist in Canton in 1731. The detail created by the Chinese artist is just incredible - just look at the eyes, eyelashes and the whig! #maritimehistory #canton

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

I am researching five large paintings, that I believe were painted in 18th cent. Canton by Chinese artists. So far, I have found the copperplates the paintings were painted after for four paintings, but I still need the last one. It shows Kronborg in Elsinore, but what was it painted after?

Castle Kronborg in Elsinore, likely painted by an 18th century Chinese artist. But on which basis?

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

The old symbols of seafaring, trade and wealth are everywhere in central Copenhagen, visible if you just look up!

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Near the ancient cathedral in Lund in southern Sweden after a sunny winter’s day. Such a beautiful town!

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

A naval battle adorns this table clock from the 1650’s at the National Museum of Denmark. But the master engraver must have looked at an older image for inspiration, as the ship looks more 1500s to me - what do you think? #navalhistory #maritimehistory #earlymodern

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

The English musician Darby Scott playing at the court of king Christian IV of Denmark & Norway. The larger painting by Reinhold Timm dates from 1622. #earlymodern

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

An American naval brig drying sails, likely in Danish waters. Painted by C.W. Eckersberg in 1831/32. The painting belongs to the museum SMK in Copenhagen. I wonder which ship it is? #maritimehistory #usnavy #navalhistory

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Visited colleagues today in a section of the National Museum I have never been to before. Quite a nice view from their offices :-) #copenhagen #christiansborg

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

1k followers already, thank you! To celebrate is here an old Finnish brig and my shadow from a midsummers sunset on the fascinating island of #Soumenlinna or #Sveaborg in Finland this summer :-) #maritimehistory

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Very interesting! Would love to hear more about it. Now you inspired me to find the books here in Copenhagen - a single used book shop had a copy waiting for me :-)

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

The captain of the first direct ship from Copenhagen to China 1730-32 was the Norwegian war-hero Michael Tønder. As the engraving shows, he must have been skilled in keeping his cool, despite a close encounter with a Swedish cannon ball during the Great Nordic War! #maritimehistory #navalhistory

A copperplate of the Norwegian naval hero Michael Tønder in battle. Photo: The Royal Library of Denmark

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

“The morning after the Swedish Assault on Copenhagen 1659” painted by the Danish artist Christian Mølsted, 1919. The ship stuck in the ice is the small Danish frigate Højenhald, which functioned as an additional bastion during the nightly defense. #maritimehistory #earlymodern

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Bringing in the beer for weekend! Detail from a painting from 1666 by Wolffgang Heimbach at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. #maritimehistory #earlymodern

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

The Danish Asiatic Company (1730-1844) was extremely profitable with its monopoly on Danish-Norwegian trade in Asia. However, no painting exists of the HQ in Copenhagen in operation, which is odd. This later painting shows the HQ in the 1860's. Let me know if you find another! #maritimehistory

Round painting of the former HQ of the Danish Asiatic Company, showing warehouses, dock and shipyard.

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

A warm library (with ladders!) is a great place to be on a cold day. The Ethnographic Library at the National Museum of Denmark covers the whole world and has not failed me yet!

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

A favorite object at the Nat. Mus. of Denmark is this large painting of tea prod. in China. Above the door of the building is a sign saying Wanhe Háng, owned by the Chinese merchant Monqua, who made a very large trade with the Danish Asiatic Comp. in 1786 - perhaps the occasion for the painting?

A large Chinese painting showing the production chain of tea as well as the export by European ship. Perhaps from around the year 1800.

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

On the very first direct sea voyage between Denmark and China 1730-32, cadet Hans Schumacher painted the company ship CRON PRINTZ CHRISTIAN - a former Swedish warship - on the front of his journal, surrounded by Chinese decorations. I wonder where his inspiration came from for these details?

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

One of the oldest paintings of ships of the Danish Asiatic Company shows the frigate DRONNING SOPHIA MAGDALENE halfway between Denmark and China at the Cape of Good Hope. The painting is likely from the 1760’s - perhaps by a Chinese artist? Photo: Maritime Museum of Denmark #maritimehistory

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Benjamin Asmussen @benjamin-asmussen.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

What better way to start a presence on a new social medium than with an 18th century Chinese duck-boat on the Pearl River near Canton/Guangzhou? The image was likely bought by a Danish supercargo in the 1780's and brought to Copenhagen.

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