Julius Paulsen was was a visual artist and art professor born in 1860 in Odense. In 1876 he studied in Odense under the painter N.M. Aaagaard. From 1879 to 1882 he studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he was later a professor.

     In 1885 he travelled to the Netherlands, France and Belgium together with artist Viggo Johansen. In 1888 his travels took him to Italy and to Spain in 1912. Trips in 1909 and 1922 brought Paulsen back to Paris, where he was first exposed to contemporary Modernist art ideas. These led him to both lighten his palette and to seek more subjective and emotional forms of expression. From 1891 to 1905 the artist was a regular exhibitor at The Free Exhibition (Den Frie Udstilling).

     Paulsen also associated with several of the Skagen Painters who gathered each summer in the north of Jutland, but he did not visit Skagen itself until after 1900. He painted several portraits of Laurits Tuxen and his family, as well as a number of landscapes. His portrait of P.S. Krøyer hangs in the Museum of National History in Frederiksborg Palace.

     Paulsen exhibited regularly and often in his career including the Paris Salons in 1885 and 1925, Chicago Exhibition in 1893, in Germany in 1891 and 1909, and in London in 1907. He exhibited at the Paris World Expositions of 1889 and 1900, and regularly at the Charlottenburg Palace for many years.

     From 1908−1920, Paulsen was a professor at the Royal Danish Academy. In 1932 his art was part of the painting event in the art competition at the Summer Olympics.

     Paulsen's works bear the influence of Realism, Symbolism and Impressionism but he was also inspired by Dutch 17th century art as can be seen in his painting "Portrætgruppe" (Portrait Group) from 1902 in Skagens Museum.

     In 1883 he was awarded the Hielmstierne-Rosencrone Prize, and in 1887 he received the Neu Hasen Prize. In 1893 he received the Thorvaldsen Exhibition Medal, entitling him to a seat in the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts’ Plenary Assembly. From 1902−1911 he was a member of the Academic Council of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

     In 2002 the Ordrupgaard Museum held a retrospective of the artist works.

     The artist is represented in these public institutions:

• National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo

• The National Museum of Sweden

• Musee d'Orsay in Paris

• Gothenburg Art Museum

• National Gallery of Denmark (SMK)

• Skagens Museum

• Museum Jorn

• Akademiraadet The Royal Academy of Fine Arts

• AROS - Aarhus Art Museum

• Bornholm Art Museum

• BRANDTS - (Painting) Museum of Art & Visual Culture

• The Hirschsprung Collection

• Esbjerg Art Museum

• Fuglsang Art Museum

• Horsens Art Museum

• J.F. Willumsens Museum

• ARTS Museum of Modern Art Aalborg

• New Carlsberg Glyptotek

• Ordrupgaard Museum

• Randers Art Museum

• Ribe Art Museum

• Rudersdal Museums

• Sorø Art Museum

• Vejen Art Museum