He trained as a printmaker under his father and at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1819–28.

[1] In 1826 and 1828 he published 18 reproductions of works by mostly contemporary artists such as Herman Wilhelm Bissen, Ditlev Blunck, Albert Küchler, Martinus Rørbye and others.

[1] In 1828, prompted by J. F. Clemens' high age and poor health, Sonne travelled to Parma to continue his training under Paolo Toschi.

He ended up spending the next 20 years in Italy, working at leading graphic workshops in both Parma and Turin.

[3] The sculptor Herman Wilhelm Bissen created a portrait bust of him in 1960 (Danish National Gallery.