Fritz Stæhr-Olsen was a visual and decorative artist born in 1858 in Copenhagen. He trained as a painter at the Technical School in Copenhagen from 1878–1879 under the artist J.F. Busch. In 1880 he traveled along with painter Carl Lund, to Vienna, where they both worked as theater painters at the Burgtheater.

          From Vienna, in 1882 he returned home to Copenhagen, where he worked at the Royal Danish Theater under the theater painters Valdemar Gyllich and Thorolf Pedersen. The artist took study trips to Vienna from 1880–1882, to Egypt, Palestine and Austria from 1899–1903, to London from 1912–1913, and Italy in 1921. 

      In 1896 he painted the decoration of the 4th act for Wilbrandt's tragedy "Arria and Messalina". He also performed decorations for the province's scenes. He remained a theater painter at the Royal Danish Theater from 1882–1899.

    In 1899 he was a student under Austrian academic history painter Hans Makart. From his travels he painted a number of oil paintings, but his specialty was watercolors with urban motifs.

     The artist is represented in Copenhagen City Museum with 12 works.