Just Mathias Thiele was born on 13 December 1795 in Copenhagen. After receiving his schooling at the Metropolitan School and studying privately with A.G. Rudelbach, he had his debut in 1816 in Danfana, a magazine, before publishing his first book, a novel named Bjergmandsdalen, the following year. From 1817 to 1835 he was employed at the Royal Danish Library. During this phase, with inspiration from the Brothers Grimm, he collected Danish folk tales, relying on both written sources and oral ones which he collected on travels around the country. He published them in four volumes as Danske Folkesagn I-IV between 1818 and 1823. He also wrote poetry and drama but to no great acclaim and his works within that field are forgotten today.
Relationship to Bertel Thorvaldsen
Thiele's publication of Danish folk tales was rewarded with a scholarship. He traveled to Rome where he became a close friend of Bertel Thorvaldsen who would also become a major focus for his academic writings with Den danske Billedhugger Bertel Thorvaldsen og hans Værker, I-IV published from 1831 to 1850 and Thorvaldsens Biographie, 1-4 from 1851-56. Thiele was also a member of the committee for the foundation of Thorvaldsens Museum. After Thorvaldsen's death, he was effective in saving his archives and other papers from destruction.
Art administration
Thiele was secretary at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1825 to 1871. While working at the Royal Library, he was the main force behind saving its neglected collection of 70,000 prints which became the basis for establishing the Royal Print Collection, today part of the holdings of the Danish National Gallery. He served as inspector at the collection from 1835 and its director from 1861.
Family and friends
Thiele was married to Sophie Holten, and after her death to Hanne Aagesen in 1838. His children included:
Ida Wilde née Thiele who is commemorated in Hans Christian Andersen's tale Little Ida's Flowers.
Just Mathias Thiele was throughout his life an active part of the cultural environment in Copenhagen. Still a student, he became part of the circle of artists and intellectuals around Knud Lyne and Kamma Rahbek at Bakkehuset, a time he commemorated in Erindringer fra Bakkehuset published in 1869. He was also part of the salon life at Sophienholm which revolved around Friederike Brun.
Works
Danske Folkesagn, I-IV. Copenhagen. 1818-23.
Den danske Billedhugger Bertel Thorvaldsen og hans Værker, I-IV, Copenhagen. 1831-1850.
Danmarks Folkesagn, I-II. Copenhagen. 1843..
Den danske Almues overtroiske Meninger.. Copenhagen. 1860..
