Niels Laurits Andreas Høyen (4 June 1798 – 29 April 1870) is considered to be the first Danish art historian and critic.

He then became a student at the Drawing School of the Royal Danish Academy of Art (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) where he learned perspective and anatomy, and had access to such artists as Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Christian David Gebauer and Jens Peter Møller.

With economic support from his father he left Copenhagen in September 1822 for a three-year student travel through Germany, Austria and Italy He was given the opportunity to give lectures at the Art Academy during the winter 1826-1827 on antique paintings.

He was one of the founding members of the Art Union (Kunstforeningen) in 1827, and he helped edit the first three volumes of "Maanedsskrift for Litteratur" ("Monthly Journal of Literature") in 1829.

These funds were used in 1829 to give Høyen a one-time grant to travel and study preservation-worthy art in the Danish provinces.

His lectures were usually given on the subject of the church itself where the meetings were held, thus bringing into immediate focus the objects and artworks directly at hand.

He advised young artists against going abroad to study art; rather, he insisted, they would be better served to remain in Denmark, undergo training and become independent before allowing themselves to be exposed to foreign influences.

His influence on art and artists also had its opposition, such as painter and Academy professor Wilhelm Marstrand who wrote, "Hvad menes der med, at kunsten skal være national?

[...] ligesom den samme Sol skinner over hele Verden, saaledes er Kunsten ikke bundet" ("What does it mean that art needs to be national?

At the World Exhibition in Paris 1878, a critic wrote that "nok er Danmark repræsenteret ved kunstnere, men ikke med kunst" ("Denmark is well represented with artists, but not with art").

His legacy as an art historian and critic was followed up by Julius Lange, who quickly took over Høyen's positions at the Academy and the University shortly after his death.