Gunnar Asgeir Sadolin

Gunnar Asgeir Sadolin
Sadolin painted by Herman Vedel in 1939
Born	(1874-02-15)15 February 1874 Rønne, Denmark
Died	17 March 1955(1955-03-17) (aged 81) Dragør, Denmark
Nationality	Danish
Occupation	Businessman
Awards	Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog, 1932

Gunnar Asgeir Sadolin (5 February 1874 - 17 March 1955) was a Danish businessman.

Early life

Sadilin was born in Valløby, the son of parish priest Ole Jørgen Sadolin (1826–1908) and Louise Suzette Emilie Marcussen (1838–1906). Sadolin passed the preliminary exams at the University of Copenhagen in 1890 and then worked for half a year in a mechanical workshop. He had aspirations to become an artist and therefore studied at Copenhagen Technical School, the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Kristian Zahrtmann's art school in 1890–96 . He was considered a promissing student but temporary visual impairment led him into the theoretical and practical study of dyes . Burial finds in Egypt had recently brought attention to Encaustic paintings and this inspired him to conduct a series experiments succesful with wax-based dyes. In 1907, he established a small business, Gunnar A. Sadolins Farvefabri, with funding from jis brothers Frode Sadolin and Jørgen Theophilus Sadolin and the physician Olav Høgsbro, who each invested DKK 100 in the venture. The production took place in a single room in Fasangården with Sadolin's fiancé and later wife as the only employee. On 18 May 1909, A/S S.s Farver was founded with Gustav Hage (1852–1935) and engineer Alex. Foss (an uncle of Sadolin's fiancé) as the largest stakeholders. On 2 July 1912, the company merged with Holmblad & Co.s efterf. under the name Sadolin & Holmblad. From 1914 Sadolin served as chief technical officer of the company while his borther Knud Sadolin served as chief commercial officer (merkantil direktør) for the company. The product range was constantly expanded and A/S Kemisk Værk in [[Køge[[ was established as a manufacturer of dry pigments and Aniline dyes.

Sadolin was succeeded as director by his son Dan Sadolin (born 21 July 1914) om 1948 and retired in 1849.

Personal life

Sadolin married Esther Margrethe Schultz (1 March 1888 - 13 October 1964) on 26 December 1910. She was a daughter of lighthouse master William Schultz (1850–1914) and Bertha Brøchner (1858–1921). Sadolin owned a large collection of classical Dutch, Italian and Spannish art. He died on 17 March 1955 and is buried in Valløby Cemetery.