Tuxen followed the family tradition, enrolling at the Royal Danish Naval Cadet Academy in 1822. He graduated with Gerner's Medal in 1829. After a voyage to the Danish West Indies with the brig St. Jan in 1831-32 he was employed as a teacher of mathematics at the Royal Danish Naval Academy until 1846. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1839, captain lieutenant in 1847 and captain in 1854.[1]
In 1838, he was also employed as an instruction officer at the dock in Copenhagen. In 1841, he was made a member of the Construction Commission. In 1843-45, he was in England, North America, France and the Netherlands to study engineering, hydraulics and other technical advances in ship building. Back in Denmark, he was promoted to first teacher in mathematics at the Naval Academy.[1]
In 1946, he was appointed as leader of the navy's department for engineering, water and hydraulics.In 1858, he instigated the construction of a new dry dock in Christianshavn. In 1864, he was also appointed as director of ship building at the Royal Naval Dockyards. He retired in 1883.[1]
He was for many years one of the directors of the Det kgl. octroierede almindelige Brandassurance-Compagni. He published a number of written works, including two publications on the Tuxen family (1883 and 1888.
Personal life
Tuxen was married on 4 July 1838 in Holmen Church to Bertha Laura Giødvad (1815-1908), daughter of naval officer Jens Berlin Giødvad (1782-1816) and Judithe Kiellerup (1788-1850). The couple had seven children, including the painters Laurits Tuxen and Nicoline Tuxen. Their sister daughter Elisabeth was married to the theologian Carl Henrik Scharling and her younger sister was married to the economist and politician Hans William Scharling.