Early life and education Dajon was born on 21 January 1748 in
Copenhagen, the son of building administrator Frantz Dajon (1719–94) and Agnete Plum (1718–87). His family was of French origin but had been present in Denmark from at least 1624 and had for several generations counted members in royal service. He trained as a sculptor under
Jacques Saly at the
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1759 and won its large gold medal for the relief
Israeliterne samle Manna i Ørken in 1766.
Career :
Portrait of the sculptor Nicolai Dajon, 1780s Dajon began his career as an employee in
Johannes Wiedewelt's studio. Although he received promise of a travel stipend in conjunction with the gold medal, the actual funds would not be made available until 1776. He made his way over Germany to Italy. In 1778, he sent a now lost statue of
Paris in half natural size back to Denmark. He returned to Denmark in 1781 and was in 1783 admitted as member of the Academy. His admission piece was an allegorical representation of the
Baltic Sea in the form of a reclined figure. It was difficult times for a young sculptor since the few major commissions all went to Wiedewelt, and Dajon, therefore, had to survive on a small income by teaching moulding at the Academy's decoration school. In 1803, after Wiedewelt's death, he was finally appointed as professor at the Academy. The position came with a studio in
Civiletatens Materialgård at
Frederiksholms Kanal.. Dajon served as director of the Academy from 1818 to 1821.
Death He died on 14 December 1823 and is buried in
Assistens Cemetery. ==Works==