Bissen studied at the
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in
Copenhagen from 1816 to 1823. In 1824, he was awarded a travel scholarship which enabled him to travel to
Rome. The stay in Rome extended over 10 years during which time he became an assistant to Danish sculptor
Bertel Thorvaldsen. Under the influence of Thorvaldsen, his style changed from
romanticism to
neo-classicism. In early 1834, Bissen left Rome to return to Copenhagen where he was awarded a professorship at the
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts following the death of his predecessor,
Hermann Ernst Freund. From 1850 to 1853, he was director of the academy. Several of his works were exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 including his statue of Orestes. His monument from 1862,
Isted Lion (
Istedløven), was erected in recognition of Danish victory during the
Battle of Isted which was fought as part of the
First Schleswig War. The statue was originally erected at
Flensburg in
Schleswig. In 1867, it was moved to
Berlin and remained there until 1945. After
World War II, it was located to
Søren Kierkegaards Plads in
Copenhagen. In September 2011 it returned to Flensburg. ==Personal life==