 He was the father of artist Ernst Syberg and composer Franz Syberg.Together with Johannes Larsen, Poul S. Christiansen and Peter Hansen, Syberg was one of the first Funen artists to study under Zahrtmann who had broken away from the traditions of the Danish Academy to venture into Naturalism and Realism.Initially he was influenced by Zahrtmann's colourist approach which can be seen in "Dødsfald" (1892) depicting his mother's death in Fåborg's poorhouse 14 years earlier.