The frigate „Jylland“ off Copenhagen, undated
The atmospheric painting by Vilhelm Bille opens a distant view of the Copenhagen harbour. In the right half of the picture, the famous frigate „Jylland“ (Jutland) can be seen. Built in 1860, the three-masted sailing vessel served as a training ship and was used for representative purposes. On May 9, 1864, the „Jylland“ took part in the naval battle near Helgoland during the German-Danish War. Today the frigate, which was decommissioned in 1908, lies in dry dock in Ebeltoft as a museum ship. In the painting, the „Jylland“ is sailing towards the port of Copenhagen, surrounded by busy shipping traffic. The city skyline shows prominent buildings such as the harbour crane, built in 1742, on the left and Frederik‘s Church on the right.
Vilhelm Bille was born in Copenhagen in 1864, the son of the well-known Danish marine painter Carl Bille.
Despite his prominent father, little is known about his career. In contrast to Carl Bille, who learned painting as an autodidact and only received further academic training late in life, his son Vilhelm attended the Royal Academy of Art.