Jonas Collin

Jonas Collin (6 January 1776 – 28 August 1861) was a Danish civil servant and patron of the arts. He took care of Hans Christian Andersen when the later writer first arrived in Copenhagen as a child and remained his loyal friend and supporter for the remainder of his life. He was also involved in the foundation of the Thorvaldsen Museum.

Early life and education Collin was born in Copenhagen, the son of director of the Royal Danish Class Lottery Niels Collin (1736–1797) and Ingeborg Bolten (1735–1817). He grew up in the Collin House in Bredgade. He was taught at home, first by his parents and then by private teachers, including Christopher Frimann Omsen and the priest Michael Gottlieb Birckner. He studied law at the University of Copenhagen, graduating in 1795.

Career Collin's first job was in his father's office. This left him with enough time to study foreign languages and follow lectures on philosophy, mathematics and physics at the university. In 1800, he passed the examination in surveying. He was a member of Drejer's Club where many of the leading writers of the time met and was himself a contributor to Knud Lyne Rahbek's Minerva and other journals. Collin left the Class Lottery when his father died. His contacts among high-ranking civil servants got him a position as a volunteer in the Treasury where he mainly worked in the agriculture departments. In 1801, he was first appointed as copyist and then clerk. In 1807, he was appointed as bank commissioner and in 1812 as Assessor in and in 1816 as a finance deputy . He worked first under Ernst Schimmelmann and then Johan Sigismund von Møsting.

He died on 28 August 1861 and is buried in Frederiksberg Old Cemetery.

Awards Collin became a Knight in the Order of the Dannebrog in 1813, received the Cross of Honour in 1826, became a Commander in the Order of the Dannebrog in 1836 and received the Grand Cross in 1849.

Cultural references Jonas Collin (Lars Brygmann) is depicted in the 2005 DR television series Unge Andersen. The couple had five children.

Written works Collin published in 1822–1825.