Genre and landscape painter, Carl Christian Edvard Otto Carlsen (aka: Carl Carlsen), was born February 28, 1855 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was baptized three months later in May 13, 1855 at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Copenhagen. Carl was the youngest of three brothers [Emil Carlsen [1848-1932] and Janus Michael Carlsen [1843-1917]] born to upper-middle class grocer, Carl Adolph Junius Carlsen [1815-?] and housewife and hobbyist floral painter, Anna Dorthea Raae [1813-1887].

Carl was to follow in his older brother Emil’s footsteps and began to pursue painting at age eighteen. Like his brother, Carl was originally to pursue a trade but left to explore his love of painting. He trained at The Royal Academy of ...