▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁when ▁just ▁ 1 3 ▁years ▁old , ▁where ▁he ▁initially ▁studied ▁decor ative ▁arts . ▁Later ▁he ▁turned ▁to ▁architecture ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁student ▁of ▁Gustav ▁Friedrich ▁Het sch ▁for ▁whom ▁he ▁also ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁and ▁dra ug ht s man . ▁For ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁he ▁also ▁app r entic ed ▁as ▁a ▁m ason ▁to ▁ac quire ▁practical ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁trade . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Academy ' s ▁Honor ary ▁Medal ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁its ▁large ▁gold ▁medal ▁which ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁a ▁four - year ▁travel ▁scholar ship ▁which ▁brought ▁him ▁to ▁Germany , ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁France ▁and ▁Italy . ▁ ▁Back ▁in ▁Den mark , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Art ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Building ▁Ins pect or ▁in ▁C open hagen ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁until ▁ 1 8 7 4 . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁tit ular ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁Art ▁Academy ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Academy ▁Council . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁he ▁received ▁appointment ▁as ▁Royal ▁Building ▁Ins pect or , ▁an ▁office ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁ ▁Works ▁Vil helm ▁Peters en ' s ▁earliest ▁independent ▁works ▁include ▁a ▁new ▁Custom ▁House ▁and ▁a ▁building ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁N aut ical ▁Ch