After graduating from the Academy in 1837 he traveled to Rome where he initially worked for around a year in Bertel Thorvaldsen's studio.
His early works such as the sculpture Hercules and Hebe (1846, original model in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek)as well as his colossal Christ figure from 1849 are in a strong Neoclassical style which bear clear testament to Thorvaldsen.