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Art Bulletin of

NationalmuseumStockholm

Volume OM

Art Bulletin ofNationalmuseum

Stockholm

Volume OMOMNP

Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm,is published with generous support from theFriends of the Nationalmuseum.

The Nationalmuseum collaborates withSvenska Dagbladet, Fältman & Malménand Grand Hôtel Stockholm.

Items in the Acquisitions section are listedalphabetically by artists’ names, except in the caseof applied arts items, which are listed in order oftheir inventory numbers. Measurements are incentimetres – Height H, Breadth B, Depth D,Length L, Width W, and Diameter Diam.– except for those of drawings and prints, whichare given in millimetres.

Cover IllustrationAlexander Roslin (NTNUÓNTVP), The Artist and hisWife Marie Suzanne Giroust Portraying HenrikWilhelm Peill, NTST. Oil on canvas, NPN ñ VUKR cm.Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum,Sophia Giesecke Fund, Axel Hirsch Fundand Mr Stefan Persson and Mrs Denise Persson.Nationalmuseum, åã TNQNK

PublisherMagdalena Gram

EditorJanna Herder

Editorial CommitteeMikael Ahlund, Magdalena Gram, Janna Herder,Helena Kåberg and Magnus Olausson.

PhotographsNatinalmuseum Photographic Studio/LinnAhlgren, Erik Cornelius, Anna Danielsson,Cecilia Heisser, Bodil Karlsson, Per-Åke Persson,Sofia Persson and Hans Thorwid.

Picture EditorRikard Nordström

Photo Credits© Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig(p. NQ)© The Gothenburg Museum of Art/HosseinSehatlou (p. NU)© Malmö Art Museum/Andreas Rasmusson(p. OO)© Wildenstein & Co., Inc., New York (p. OV)© RMN Grand Palais/Musée du Louvre,Paris/Hervé Lewandowski (p. PMF© The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles(Fig. QI p. PN)© RMN Grand Palais/Musée du Louvre,Paris/René-Gabriel Ojéda (Fig. RI p. PN)© Guilhem Scherf (p. PO)© Bridgeman/Institute of Arts, Detroit (p. PP)© Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris/Jean Tholance(p. PQ)© RMN Grand Palais/Musée du Louvre, Paris(p. PR)© Accademia Nazionale di San Luca,Rome/Mauro Coen (Figs, SI NM and NO,pp. NNQÓNNS)© Mikael Traung (Fig. T, p. NNQ)© Stockholm City Museum (p. NOP)http://www.stockholmskallan.se/Soksida/Post/?nid=319© Stockholm City Museum/Lennart afPetersens (p. NOQ)© http://www.genealogi.se/component/mtree/soedermanland/eskilstuna/a_zetherstroem_/22850?Itemid=604 (p. NOR)© http://www.genealogi.se/component/mtree/bohuslaen/marstrand/robert-dahlloefs-atelier/22851?Itemid=604 (p. NOT)

Every effort has been made by the publisher tocredit organizations and individuals with regardto the supply of photographs. Please notify thepublisher regarding corrections.

Graphic DesignBIGG

LayoutAgneta Bervokk

Translation and Language EditingGabriella Berggren and Martin Naylor.

PublicationsIngrid Lindell (Publications Manager),Janna Herder (Editor).

Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum is publishedannually and contains articles on the historyand theory of art relating to the collections ofthe Nationalmuseum.

NationalmuseumBox NSNTSëÉÓNMP OQ Stockholm, Swedenwww.nationalmuseum.se© Nationalmuseum and the authors

ISSN OMMNJVOPU

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ForewordThe Editorial Committee

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Three NTth-Century Paintings from the Collection of Gustaf Adolf SparreCarina Fryklund

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Roslin’s Self-Portrait with his Wife Marie Suzanne GiroustPainting a Portrait of Henrik Wilhelm Peill

Magnus OlaussonNT

Wertmüller’s Portrait of Henri Bertholet-Campan with the Dog AlineMagnus Olausson

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Heimdall Returns Brísingamen to FreyjaCarl-Johan Olsson

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Cat in a Summer MeadowCarl-Johan Olsson

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Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

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Une statuette en terre cuite de Jean-Baptiste Stouf au NationalmuseumGuilhem Scherf

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Madame Lefranc Painting a Portrait of her Husband Charles Lefranc:A Miniature by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard

Magnus OlaussonPT

A Unique Plate WarmerAnders Bengtsson

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A Chair Fit for a PrinceAnders Bengtsson

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Sylvia Stave in the NationalmuseumMicael Ernstell and Magnus Olausson

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Gifts from the Bengt Julin Fund in OMNPMicael Ernstell

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A Portrait of Gertrud Fridh as Medea, by Rolf WinquistEva-Lena Karlsson

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Ernst Josephson: Painting Poet and Poetic PainterMagdalena Gram

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The Joy of GivingEva Qviberg

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Acquisitions OMNP: ExposéSN

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Carl Larsson: Friends & EnemiesPer Hedström

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Hans GeddaEva-Lena Karlsson

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Masters of DarknessCarina Fryklund

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An Italian Architecture Library under the Polar Star:Nicodemus Tessin the Younger’s Collection of Books and Prints

Martin OlinNMV

Louis Gauffier’s Portrait of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt:A Political or a Conspiratorial Painting?

Magnus OlaussonNNV

An Exceptionally Protracted Affair:The Nationalmuseum’s Acquisition of Sergel’sCollections of Drawings and Prints, NUTRÓNUTS

Ulf CederlöfNOP

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A Source-Critical Comment on Roger de Robelin’s“On the provenance of Rembrandt’s

The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis”Görel Cavalli-Björkman and Margaretha Rossholm-Lagerlöf

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Response to “A Source-Critical Comment etc.”Roger de Robelin

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The Nationalmuseum Lighting LabHelen Evans and Helena Kåberg

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qÜÉ ^êí _ìääÉíáå of Nationalmuseum,Stockholm, hitherto a printed publication,has with the present volume switched to adigital format. Factors behind this changeinclude the development of free access toscholarly information and a wish to seethe Bulletin’s articles disseminated moreeffectively.

Competition in the world of researchhas increased, and both “sector-based” re-search and state-funded research in the hu-manities are coming under growing scruti-ny. The discussion within RIHA, the Inter-national Association of Research Institutesin the History of Art, of which the National-museum is a member, suggests that this is aphenomenon seen throughout the West-ern world. On the other hand, it has beensaid that the best time for the humanities isnow – a globalised society requires under-standing of languages, communication andcomplex reflection – and it can also be ar-gued that art history has its own particularmission in that context.

Research in museums is stronglylinked to the collections held there andthe materiality of the objects they contain.That being so, it should be able to hold itsown in the broader research community.Like many other international art muse-ums, the Nationalmuseum has a long tra-dition of research and, for twenty years,the Art Bulletin has been an importantchannel of communication in that connec-tion. Quality assurance of its contents hasbeen progressively developed, and peer re-view of articles is seen by the editorial team

Foreword

The Editorial CommitteeArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

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as the way forward in safeguarding thequality of the research published.

The longer articles in this volume dealwith the Nationalmuseum’s acquisition ofJohan Tobias Sergel’s drawings and prints,Nicodemus Tessin the Younger’s architec-tural library and Louis Gauffier’s politicallycharged portrait of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt.Alongside these topics, a series of interest-ing new acquisitions are reported and com-mented on, together with three of the Mu-seum’s exhibitions. Other contributions in-clude a report on work in the Nationalmu-seum’s light laboratory.

The last-mentioned report is an exam-ple of the dialogue that is so important in amuseum setting between curators and con-servators, and between art history and con-servation science. In recent times, the inter-disciplinary field of technical art history haspaved the way for closer ties between theo-retical university research and object-basedresearch in museums. The Bulletin’s editori-al committee welcome the results of thistrend, which have already made themselvesfelt in the Museum’s research.

This twentieth volume of the Art Bul-letin retains the graphic design of theprint publication. The editorial team arelooking ahead and thinking of the Bulletinmore and more as part of the Museum’sfuture website. In terms of content, thisvolume reflects the Bulletin’s increasinglyfocused approach as a scholarly publica-tion in which critical voices, too, are per-mitted to be heard.

V Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

qÜÉ k~íáçå~äãìëÉìã has acquiredthree important Flemish and Dutch cabi-net pictures from the former collection ofCount Gustaf Adolf Sparre (NTQSÓNTVQ):two genre scenes in a smaller format byDavid Teniers the Younger (Fig. N) andJacob Toorenvliet (Fig. O), and a landscapeby Gijsbrecht Leytens (Fig. P). All threepaintings are in their collector’s distinctivecarved and gilded wood frames in Neoclassi-cal Gustavian style, in two standard designs.

Gustaf Adolf Sparre af Söfdeborg (Fig.R) was heir to one of Sweden’s wealthiestmerchant families.1 Born on S JanuaryNTQS, he was the son of Rutger Axel Sparre,a director of the Swedish East India Com-pany. His mother, Sara Christina Sahlgren,was from a prominent and culturedGothenburg family of merchants. Theirmarriage in NTQM brought an influx ofwealth to the Sparre dynasty. Following thefire which in winter NTQS, a week afterGustaf Adolf’s birth, destroyed the originalSahlgren house in Gothenburg, Sara’smother Birgitta Sahlgren commissionedBengt Wilhelm Carlberg (NSVSÓNTTU), thecity’s leading architect, to rebuild on thesame site, facing Stora Hamngatan and itscanal, in NTRP. This impressive Neoclassicalpalace, known as the Sahlgren-SparrePalace, which was to house Gustaf AdolfSparre’s collection, still stands today.

Gustaf Adolf’s parents died when hewas still young. He was educated at the uni-versities of Lund and Uppsala, but thestrongest influence on his further educa-tion was his highly cultivated grandmother,

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Three NTth-Century Paintingsfrom the Collection of Gustaf Adolf Sparre

Carina FryklundCurator, Old Master Drawings and Paintings

Fig. N David Teniers the Younger (NSNMÓNSVM), Tavern Interior with Peasant Lighting his Pipe, NSQMs.Oil on oak, OPKV ñ NV cm. Purchase: The Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, åã TNORK



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the very best in Sweden next to the RoyalCollection.

By New Year NTTO, when Sparre re-turned to Gothenburg from his Europeantravels, he was the owner, together with hiscousin Jacob Sahlgren, of the Sahlgren-Sparre Palace. He decided to modernisethe building, redecorating and refurnish-ing in fashionable Gustavian style a suite ofrooms, in particular two drawing rooms onthe first floor that were to house his picturecollection. The style of the decoration re-flected the recent remodelling of the RoyalPalace in Stockholm, and it seems likelythat Sparre employed the same architectand decorators. Around NTTR Sparre com-missioned ornamental frames for thepaintings, to match the rest of the gallery’sdecor. These were probably made by thesame joiners, including the sculptor GustafJohan Fast, who created the apartment’smirror frames and panelling. The Swedishart historian Ingmar Hasselgren noted thatFast, who had executed some of the deco-rative work in the Royal Palace, was respon-sible for four mirrors in Sparre’s apart-ment, and suggested that he may also havebeen responsible for the boiseries in the re-decorated rooms in the Sparre-SahlgrenPalace. Since Fast usually worked underthe court architect Jean Eric Rehn, whosework resembles the renovations in theSparre apartment, Hasselgren also suggest-ed that Rehn may have been Sparre’s ar-chitect.2

As an art collector, Sparre was particu-larly keen on Dutch and Flemish genrepainting, from simple depictions of drink-ing and smoking peasants to the richly de-tailed fijnschilderij of the Leiden artists. Healso assembled a collection of Old Masterdrawings, eventually inherited by his son-in-law Jacob Gustaf De la Gardie, parts ofwhich are today housed in the Nationalmu-seum.3 The majority of Sparre’s picture col-lection comprised small-scale Flemish andDutch cabinet pictures from the NTth cen-tury. Although Sparre did acquire copies ofsome large-scale religious paintings, such asPeter Paul Rubens’Descent from the Cross andAnthony van Dyck’s grisaille ricordo of his

Birgitta Sahlgren, who encouraged hergrandson’s interest in the arts. From themiddle of the NUth century onwards, gen-erations of wealthy young Swedes were en-couraged to make the Grand Tour of con-tinental Europe. Birgitta Sahlgren thus en-couraged her grandson to travel and pro-vided the necessary funding. Gustaf Adolfwas abroad continuously from NTSU untilthe end of NTTN. Some of his diaries andhis correspondence with his grandmotherhave survived, and provide an insight intohis growing interest in the arts, especiallypainting, and his urge to collect. Paris wasa magnet to which Swedish Grand Tourists

were drawn, and French culture and tastein the arts predominated, including thecollecting of paintings, drawings and sculp-ture. This was the age of Count Carl GustafTessin (see article on p. NMV), whose mag-nificent collection constitutes the core ofthe French Rococo holdings in the Na-tionalmuseum, which are among the great-est and best preserved outside France.Tessin also assembled an important collec-tion of Old Master drawings. Sparre’s largecollection was similarly built up primarilythrough extensive purchases in theNetherlands and in Paris during the laterNUth century, and was considered one of

Fig. O Jacob Toorenvliet (NSQMÓNTNV), Man Holding a Jug (The Sense of Taste), c. NSTV. Oil on copper,NSKQ ñ NPKQ cm. Purchase: The Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, åã TNOSK


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Crucifixion, he purchased very few largeworks.4 Indeed, few pictures of any dimen-sions greater than one metre entered theSparre collection, one exception being JanLievens’ magnificent The Apostle Paul at hisWriting Desk, which the Nationalmuseumwas fortunately able to acquire in OMNO.5

Sparre’s tastes were entirely in line with pre-vailing trends among NUth-century connois-seurs in the Netherlands and Paris where,as graphic reproductions, the works ofDutch and Flemish artists were widely ap-preciated at this time. The recently ac-quired Tavern Interior with Peasant Lightinghis Pipe (Fig. N) from the NSQMs, by the

landscapist Gijsbrecht Leytens (NRUSÓÅKNSQOLRS), who is better known for his at-mospheric winter scenes. With its charac-teristic features – an imposing north Euro-pean mountain and forest landscape com-bined with fanciful Italianate buildings, pas-toral idylls and exotically dressed groups oftravellers – the Stockholm picture is closelycomparable to the artist’s late MountainLandscape in the Rain (Fig. Q), one of hisvery few landscapes other than winterscenes.6 The painting is representative ofkey trends in Flemish landscape paintingafter NSMM.

Antwerp painter David Teniers theYounger (NSNMÓNSVM) – the artist repre-sented by the largest number of works inSparre’s collection – and Man Holding a Jug(Taste) (Fig. O) from around NSTV, by theLeiden fijnschilder Jacob Toorenvliet(NSQMÓNTNV), are prime examples of thetastes of the age. Another important groupin the Sparre collection consisted of land-scapes and pastoral scenes. The impressiveWooded Mountain Landscape with Waterfalland Travellers (Fig. P) is a typical Flemishfantasy landscape in the tradition of Joos deMomper, probably painted in the first halfof the NTth century by the rare Antwerp

Fig. P Gijsbrecht Leytens (NRUSÓNSQOLRT), Wooded Mountain Landscape with Waterfall and Travellers, first half of NTth century. Oil on oak, SUKQ ñ NMNKR cm.Purchase: The Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, åã TNOQK



NQ

made a great impression on the youngSwede, it was nonetheless his travels in theLow Countries that shaped his collectingtastes, making his collection rather unusualin the Scandinavia of his day. While hewrote extensively about what he saw on histravels and what impressed him, he re-mained silent on the subject of his acquisi-tions. However, it is clear that he started tocollect Dutch and Flemish Old Masters onhis first visit to the Netherlands inNTSUÓNTSV, and he continued to buy in avery similar taste at auctions during his staysin Paris. Sparre left Sweden for the firsttime in the summer of NTSU, travelling toLondon, where he stayed with MalteRamel, a friend from his student days andhis future brother-in-law. A letter fromBirgitta Sahlgren dated P August, thankinghim for his two earlier letters, containssome good advice and reveals the strengthof the bond between them. She hoped“that my dearest grandson is careful with

During Sparre’s lifetime, the greater part ofhis collection, fifty-eight out of a total of upto a hundred pictures – including the threerecently acquired by the Museum – was dis-played in the gallery that he had set up inthe Sahlgren-Sparre Palace. Sparre movedsome of his collection to Castle Kulla Gun-narstorp, the country seat near Helsing-borg that he had bought in NTTR, andwhere he lived after his marriage to Elisa-beth Ramel in NTTT. An inventory drawnup following his death in NTVQ gives theprecise locations of each of the fifty-eightpaintings kept in Gothenburg, all of whichwere in the Blue Drawing Room. Allowingfor paintings that have been dispersed, itwould be possible to recreate this hangingfairly accurately. The pictures were hung insymmetrical groups – portraits, landscapesand genre scenes mixed together – with acommon vertical centre-line, and pendantsarranged at the sides. Teniers’ Tavern Interi-or and Toorenvliet’s Man Holding a Jug,

which are in identical frames, seem to havebeen hung as pendants, as part of anarrangement that had as its centrepiece alarge Bacchanal by Jacob Jordaens. The lat-ter was surrounded mostly by small-scalegenre pictures by artists such as Adriaenvan Ostade, Willem van Mieris and Adriaenvan der Werff, including several with drink-ing and smoking peasants. On anotherwall, Leytens’ Mountain Landscape was hungas a pendant to an identically framed wood-ed landscape by Alexander Keirinckx show-ing A Skirmish between Cavalry Men and FootSoldiers. King Gustav III rearranged his ownart gallery in the NTUMs, very much alongthe lines of the new hanging in Gothen-burg, which Hasselgren suggested mayhave served as the model for the king.7

Sparre’s tastes as a collector wereformed during his Grand Tour of England,Holland and Belgium, as well as duringlonger stays in Paris in the years NTSUÓNTTOand NTTVÓNTUM. While Paris certainly

Fig. Q Gijsbrecht Leytens (NRUSÓNSQOLRT), Mountain Landscape in the Rain. Oil on oak, QMKO ñ TNKR cm. Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig.


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his money, remembering that it is easy togive out money, but not always easy to bringit back into one’s purse …”. 8 Sparre seemsto have enjoyed life in London, where hefrequented the theatre and opera. Here hemet and befriended the architect WilliamChambers, born in Gothenburg to Englishparents, and it seems likely that Chambersprovided an introduction to London collec-tions.

Sparre’s first months of travel in theLow Countries are well documented in hissurviving diary from Q October–Q Novem-ber NTSU. He left London for Flanders on 4October, travelling to Bruges, where hespent the better part of eight days visitingthe city’s art treasures. Among the works hesaw, he especially admired those by theNetherlandish NRth-century masters Janvan Eyck and Hans Memling, Baroque mas-terpieces by Rubens, and Michelangelo’s fa-mous sculpture of The Madonna and Childin the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk. He thenleft for Ghent, where he continued to seekout picture collections, noting works byRubens and Anthony van Dyck, GerardSeghers and Gaspar de Crayer. In theMichielskerk he admired Van Dyck’s Cruci-fixion. After a three-day stay in Ghent,Sparre then travelled to Antwerp, stayingovernight in the Schelde city before contin-uing on to Amsterdam via Utrecht andGouda. In Amsterdam he admired Rem-brandt’s Nightwatch, along with pictures bythe Rembrandt pupil Govaert Flinck and byVan Dyck. Of greatest interest from thisshort stay in Amsterdam is an entry in hisdiary noting that someone there had madearrangements for paintings he had pur-chased to be forwarded to Gothenburg.9

After six days in Amsterdam, Sparretravelled to Haarlem on OO October, thenon to Leiden and The Hague. At TheHague he may have had introductionsthrough Count Gustaf Philip Creutz, whohad been Swedish ambassador there andwho, as ambassador to France, was to be-come a close friend. Sparre visited the cele-brated Cabinet of Willem V, largely formedin the NTRMs and ÛSMs, and still being addedto at the time of his visit. Here he made de-

visited the collection of Jan and Pieter vanBisschop, admiring an array of cabinet pic-tures of the kind his own collection wouldeventually comprise, works by Dujardin,Wouwerman, Mieris and Dou. From Rotter-dam he went back to Antwerp, where he ad-mired the Baroque altarpieces and sculp-tures in churches and monasteries. He sing-led out for praise Rubens’ Descent from theCross in the cathedral. Seeing this workmust have inspired him to purchase the

tailed notes of the pictures on display, andthis collection clearly made a strong im-pression on him. He was most taken withPaulus Potter’s Bull and Gerard Dou’s TheYoung Mother, both now in the Mauritshuis.Other artists mentioned form a roll call ofthose he was to collect himself, among oth-ers Gabriel Metsu, Van der Werff, JanSteen, Adriaen van Ostade, Teniers, Brouw-er and Karel Dujardin. Sparre then trav-elled to Delft and to Rotterdam, where he

Fig. R Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (NTORÓNUMO), Portrait of Gustaf Adolf Sparre, NTSV. Private collection.



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of Sparre’s biography and description of hiscollection given in the present article are basedon Hasselgren’s seminal book unless otherwisenoted.OK Hasselgren NVTQ, pp. NMRÓNMU.PK Börje Magnusson, “The De la Gardie(Borrestad) Collection of Drawings”, inArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, SI NVUOI pp.NNPÓNQM; and idem, “Dutch and FlemishDrawings in Swedish Collections”, in Art Bulletinof Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Volume NOI OMMRIStockholm OMMS, pp. VNÓVS.QK The Rubens copy and Van Dyck’s ricordoboth sold at auction in London, Sotheby’s,RÓS December OMMT, lots S and NNM.RK See most recently Carina Fryklund,“The Apostle Paul at His Writing Desk”, inArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, NVIOMNOI Stockholm, OMNP, pp. NNÓNS, with earlierliterature cited in n. N to that article.SK Rüdiger Klessmann, Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig, Die flämischen Gemälde desNTK und NU. Jahrhunderts, Braunschweig OMMP,pp. TQÓTR, no. TM, illus. Although not signed, theBraunschweig picture has been attributed to theartist since before NTPT. On Leytens see furtherP. J. J. Reelick, “Bijdrage tot identificatie van denMeester der Winterlandschappen (G. Leytens?)”,in Oud-Holland RVI NVQOI pp. TQÓTV; EdithGreindl, “Contribution à la connaissance dustyle de Gysbrecht Leytens”, in Pantheon PI NVTPIpp. ORQÓOSP; and Ursula Härting, “Der Meisterder Winterlandschaften, der Maler GysbrechtLeytens”, in Die Kunst, NVUU, pp. OMÓOT.TK Hasselgren NVTQ, pp. NPTÓNPU.UK The correspondence, kept in the De la GardieArchive at the University of Lund, is quoted byHasselgren NVTQ, pp. ONÓOO.VK A picture by Adriaen van der Werff,Two Children Playing with a Cat Holding a Bird inIts Jaws, seems to have been purchased at auctionin Amsterdam in NTSV. See the sale catalogue,London, Sotheby’s, R December OMMT, lot NQKNMK The collection was passed down through theWachtmeister family and kept at Wanås, where,until NVTU, it was held as entailed property. Overthe years, the original Sparre collection has beendispersed, most recently in OMMT, when some QM

paintings were auctioned at Sotheby’s, London,and on R December OMNO, when another fourwere sold at Bukowskis, Stockholm, includingthe three now acquired. In OMNO the National-museum was able to acquire The Apostle Paul at hisWriting Desk directly from the owners.

small copy of it on copper, though it is notknown whether he bought it during this vis-it to Antwerp or on another occasion. Heprobably also visited the Dominican con-vent of St Catherine, which housed VanDyck’s altarpiece of Christ on the Cross Adoredby Saints Catherine and Dominic, of which heowned the artist’s autograph grisaille ricor-do. The latter is reputed to have been keptby the nuns in the convent, and later sold toan unidentified Swedish nobleman. InAntwerp Sparre also visited dealers, notingdown prices, although his diary does notspecify what he himself may have bought.At the dealership of Jean Pilaret, he ad-mired a Teniers “extraordinaire” – thoughprobably not, by its description, any of theones he owned. He visited the premises ofJacques Emanuel van Lancken, where henoted a landscape by Teniers as well as asmall Ostade of a peasant smoking.We do not know when Sparre left Antwerp,or what his movements were in the lastweeks of NTSU, but he was in Paris early inNTSV and seems to have remained thereuntil NTTN. He clearly enjoyed life in theFrench capital, staying on despite en-treaties from his grandmother to returnhome in NTSV. He spent substantial sumsthere, and we may assume that some ofthese were for pictures. In NTSV he sat for aportrait by the French painter Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (NTORÓNUMO) (Fig. R).Like many young Swedes visiting Paris, heprobably stayed at the Swedish embassy,where the ambassador, Count Creutz, heldsway over a cultivated circle of friends.Creutz was extremely influential, and cer-tainly helped Sparre, along with many oth-er young Swedes, to gain access to Frenchcultural life. He had a notable collection ofwhat were then contemporary pictures. Inautumn NTTM Sparre travelled to Geneva,visiting Voltaire on the return journey toParis. Letters from his grandmother revealher increasing frailty, and on NO May NTTNshe died. This seems to have precipitatedSparre’s return to Gothenburg. On hishomeward journey he stopped in Kassel tosee the celebrated collection of pictures be-

longing to the landgraves of Hesse-Kassel,which has as its core a large group of Dutchand Flemish cabinet pictures of the kindSparre evidently enjoyed. When Sparre re-turned to Paris several years later, inNTTVÓNTUM, staying as the guest of Ambas-sador Creutz, he took the opportunity toadd to his picture collection. Buying at thePoullain sale in NTUM, possibly with Langli-er acting as his agent, he acquired GerardTer Borch’s remarkable picture of A HorseStable, now in the J. Paul Getty Museum, LosAngeles, as well as others by Isack vanOstade and Jordaens.

Sparre and his wife Elisabeth Ramelhad only one child who survived infancy,Christina, who married Jacob Gustaf De laGardie. It is not known precisely whenSparre’s widow Elisabeth moved the entirepicture collection from the couple’sGothenburg residence to Kulla Gunnars-torp, where she remained until her deathin NUPM. Upon her death, Kulla Gun-narstorp and its contents passed to hergrandson Gustaf Adolf de la Gardie(NUMMÓPP). Gustaf Adolf remained child-less, so that when he died in NUPP the estatepassed to his father Jacob Gustaf de laGardie (NTSUÓNUQO). De la Gardie soldKulla Gunnarstorp in NUPT to Count Carlde Geer, and a few years later, probablyaround NUQM, the picture collection fol-lowed. Count De Geer kept the collectionintact for a few years, but in NURR he sentthe vast majority of it to his granddaughter,who kept it on her estate of Wanås.10

The Nationalmuseum’s acquisition,made possible by a generous donationfrom the Wiros Fund, constitutes a signifi-cant addition to the collection of NTth-cen-tury cabinet paintings. At the same time, itprovides a valuable insight into patterns ofprivate collecting in NUth-century Sweden.

Notes:NK Georg Göthe, Tafvelsamlingen på Wanås,Stockholm NUVR; Ingmar Hasselgren,Konstsamlaren Gustaf Adolf Sparre, NTQSÓNTVQ,PhD diss., University of Gothenburg NVTQ;idem, “Konstsamlaren Gustaf Adolf Sparre ochSparreska våningen i Göteborg”, in Konsthistorisktidskrift RT, NVUU, pp. NQNÓNQQ. The details


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tÜÉå cêÉÇêáâ pé~êêÉ left Paris inthe summer of NTRQ, Alexander Roslin(NTNUÓ NTVP) had to take over various pur-chasing commissions entrusted to theyoung diplomat by his uncle, Count CarlGustaf Tessin. These related to both a vari-ety of luxury items and works of art, butabove all to books. Payments were oftenmade via the Grill trading house, whichhad numerous contacts in banking. Roslinadmittedly found these recurring assign-ments tiresome, but for the sake of his ca-reer he needed powerful patrons. WhenTessin’s protégé Henrik Wilhelm Peill ar-rived in Paris in the mid NTSMs, Roslin andhis wife received him with open arms. Peill,whose mother was a member of theMijtens family of artists, was on an educa-tional tour of Europe, in preparation for afuture position with the firm of his cousin’shusband Carlos Grill.

As an outward sign of the close friend-ship that developed between them, theartist painted this portrait of himself andhis wife Marie Suzanne Giroust (NTPQÓ

Roslin’s Self-Portrait with his Wife Marie Suzanne GiroustPainting a Portrait of Henrik Wilhelm Peill

Magnus OlaussonDirector of Collections and the Swedish National Portrait Gallery

Fig. N Alexander Roslin (NTNUÓNTVP),The Artist and his Wife Marie Suzanne Giroust

Portraying Henrik Wilhelm Peill, NTST.Oil on canvas, NPN ñ VUKR cm.

Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum,Sophia Giesecke Fund, Axel Hirsch Fund

and Mr Stefan Persson and Mrs Denise Persson.Nationalmuseum, åã TNQNK


Suzanne Giroust, has the same historicalorigins as the work the Museum has now ac-quired with the support of the Axel HirschFund and the Sophie Giesecke Fund. Thepurchase of the Roslin family portraitwould not have been possible, either, with-out a very substantial contribution from theFriends of the Nationalmuseum and MrStefan Persson and Mrs Denise Persson. Itis gratifying to note that an important partof Sweden’s cultural heritage has now beensaved and will in future be able to be shownas part of the permanent collections of theMuseum.

NTTO) at her easel, working on a pastel ofPeill (Fig. N). The painting came into be-ing in NTST, as Peill’s stay in the Frenchcapital was drawing to a close. The portraitwithin the portrait has not been found,though there are several extant copies ofanother version, made by Giroust a yearearlier. The gold box with portrait minia-tures which Roslin is pointing to adds tothe rebus-like character of the picture, andmay possibly have been a lavish farewell giftfrom Peill. That the portrait really was a to-ken of friendship is made clear by the in-scription on the frame – Loin et près (“Faraway and [yet] close”). The motto ofcourse takes on a somewhat comical note,given that the couple’s friend is always pre-sent in the form of the portrait on theeasel. Peill most probably acquired thepainting at the time or in the years imme-diately following. Quite soon after his re-turn home he married the younger AnnaJohanna Grill, daughter of the late director

of the Swedish East India Company, ClaesGrill the Elder, who had died in NTST.Most of the indications are that theyounger woman portrayed on the gold boxis Miss Grill, while the older woman is pre-sumably her mother, the elder AnnaJohanna, Peill’s cousin and future mother-in-law.

Against this backdrop, it is easy to un-derstand why Roslin felt called upon topaint the Grill Family Portrait (Fig. O) beforehe left Sweden in September NTTR. Thispicture of the widowed elder Anna Johan-na Grill and her children Adolf Ulric andthe younger Anna Johanna (married toPeill) readily tied in with the group por-trait of the Roslins now acquired by the Na-tionalmuseum. It did not include the son-in-law Peill, however, but another individ-ual, the deceased paterfamilias Claes Grillthe Elder. As convention demanded, he isrepresented in a different degree of reality,in the form of Gustaf Lundberg’s well-known pastel portrait. The inscription,Unis à jamais (“United for ever”), closelyechoes that of the companion painting,Loin et près, opening up a multiplicity ofmeanings. In the Österby Collection,moreover, these two works joined an olderfamily portrait painted by Martin vanMeytens the Younger during his stay inStockholm forty years earlier, showing theelder Anna Johanna as a girl, with her par-ents Carlos Grill and his wife Hendriana,née Mijtens, who was also Henrik WilhelmPeill’s maternal aunt.

The Roslin family portrait was the lastpainting in this trilogy still in private hands.For a long time it belonged to the descen-dants of the man who was the heir of Hen-rik Wilhelm Peill and his wife, the youngerAnna Johanna Grill, namely her nephew,the ironmaster Baron Per Adolf Tamm.This unique work by Alexander Roslinfrom the Österby Collection eventuallypassed to Baroness Stina Nordenfalk, néeRålamb, whose heirs have now sold the por-trait to the Nationalmuseum. Roslin’s per-haps best-known painting, The Lady with theVeil, another portrait of his wife Marie

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Fig. O Alexander Roslin (NTNUÓNTVP),Grill Family Portrait, NTTR.Oil on canvas, NPN ñ NMM cm.The Gothenburg Museum of Art, Öâã NMOTK


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^ÇçäÑ räêáâ tÉêíãΩääÉê (NTRNÓNUNN) had trained under his secondcousin Alexander Roslin in Paris and stud-ied at the French Academy in Rome. Re-turning to the French capital in the springof NTUN, he found commissions difficult tocome by and made a living as a copyist inRoslin’s studio instead. Here he was discov-ered by the Swedish ambassador Gustaf Fil-ip Creutz, who placed several importantcommissions with him. As a result, theyoung artist also attracted the interest ofGustav III. Just before his departure fromParis after a month-long stay in the sum-mer of NTUQ, the Swedish king managed topersuade Queen Marie-Antoinette to haveWertmüller paint her portrait as a gift tohim.

Gustav had intended this to be Wert-müller’s ticket to a successful career inParis. At first, all seemed to go well. A fewweeks after the king’s return home, Wert-müller was elected a member of the FrenchRoyal Academy of Painting and Sculpture,giving him a kind of formal accreditation.Shortly afterwards, he painted the queen

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Wertmüller’s Portrait of Henri Bertholet-Campan with the Dog Aline


Fig. N Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller (NTRNÓNUNN),Portrait of Henri Bertholet-Campan (NTUQÓNUON)

as a Child, with the Dog Aline, NTUS.Oil on canvas, NMM ñ UNKR cm.

Purchase: Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund.Nationalmuseum, åã TNPPK


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Wertmüller, quite understandably, wentinto a deep depression, but after a whilewas able to summon up the strength tomake the necessary adjustments before theportrait was sent to Sweden the followingyear. The person who came to Wert-müller’s aid was his friend Henriette Genet-Campan, and it was largely thanks to herthat he got paid at all. Mme Campan was alady-in-waiting to the queen and closely ac-quainted with the private royal finances,having charge of Marie-Antoinette’s privypurse. She defended Wertmüller to thequeen on several occasions, including inAugust NTUS. It was Mme Campan, there-fore, who suggested the fee the artistshould ask, and also the point in time atwhich he should submit his account. As aprecaution, a mutual friend, Gabriel Lind-blom, acted as an intermediary between thetwo. Lindblom had been a tutor to MmeCampan’s younger brother Edmond Genetand now served as an interpreter at the

French Foreign Ministry at Versailles. Thisexplains both why Wertmüller was so wellinformed and how he came to paint almosta dozen portraits of various members of theGenet-Campan family.

In gratitude to his friend Mme Cam-pan, Wertmüller painted a portrait of herO-year-old son Henri Bertholet-Campan(NTUQÓNUON). This was in the autumn ofNTUS, when the large portrait of the queenhad been completed and shipped to Swe-den. The painting shows the little boy to-gether with the dog Aline in the Englishlandscape garden at the family’s summerretreat at Croissy, outside Paris (Fig. N). Itwas exhibited at the Salon of NTUT, butwith the somewhat anonymous title A ChildPlaying with a Dog. Perhaps this was out ofdiscretion, to avoid spelling out too clearlyhow well acquainted Wertmüller was withone of the queen’s closest confidantes. Lat-er, he would also paint Mme Campan’sbrother Edmond Genet, and their sisterAdélaïde Auguié. The latter, also a lady-in-waiting to Marie-Antoinette, was portrayedas a dairymaid in the royal dairy at PetitTrianon-Le Hameau. That picture waspainted in NTUT and has been in the Na-tionalmuseum’s collections since NVRN, agift from the Friends of the Nationalmuse-um (Fig. O). Since then, a preliminarystudy for the portrait of the Frenchdauphin Louis has also been acquired (Fig.P). With this latest acquisition, anotherpiece can be added to the fascinating storyof the origins of Wertmüller’s portrait ofQueen Marie-Antoinette.

and her daughter, Madame Royale, at thePetit Trianon, while the dauphin sat forhim at the Château de la Muette near Paris.At the Louvre, Wertmüller was able to bor-row Jacques-Louis David’s studio to workon his large portrait of the queen, as Davidwas in Rome. The artist went about his taskmost methodically, leaving nothing tochance. He even had Marie-Antoinette’swigmaker Monsieur Léonard produce acoiffure of the type she wore, to ensure thatevery detail was correct. Meanwhile, therewas growing envy among the French artisticestablishment. In the eyes of his competi-tors, giving a young Swedish artist a com-mission as prestigious as painting thequeen’s portrait was little short of treason.When the portrait of Marie-Antoinettewent on show on OQ August NTUR, it was im-mediately slated by the critics. The queenwas not happy with it either, and reportedlyexclaimed, “Quoi! C’est moi là?” (“What! Isthat supposed to be me?”).

Fig. O Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller (NTRNÓNUNN),Adélaïde Auguié as a Dairymaid in the Royal Dairy atPetit Trianon-Le Hameau, NTUT. Oil on canvas,NNTKR ñ UVKR cm. Donated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum. Nationalmuseum, åã QUUNK

Fig. P Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller (NTRNÓNUNN),Portrait of the French Dauphin Louis ENTUNÓNTUVFINTUQK Oil on canvas, QSKR ñ PU cm. Purchase:Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund.Nationalmuseum, åã TMRMK


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få íÜÉ ëÉ~êÅÜ for a national art, or anart that could form a key part of a nationalidentity, Norse mythology became an im-portant source of subject matter. Using sto-ries from the Edda of Snorri Sturluson andother heroic tales, Scandinavian artists wereable to stake out a pictorial world designedto reinforce a historical self-image of theirown, more independent in relation tosouthern Europe. A significant factor be-hind this endeavour was the founding ofthe Gothic Society (Götiska förbundet) inNUNN. Later, in NUQS, the Artists’ Guild(Konstnärsgillet) was formed, with a partic-ular concern to foster a patriotic outlook inSwedish visual art and literature. That wasalso the year when the Royal Swedish Aca-demy of Fine Arts first chose an ancientNorse theme as the subject for its annualcompetition. Previously, there had been lit-tle enthusiasm for this type of history paint-ing, but now it acquired a kind of officialstatus.1 As an entry in this first competitionwith a Norse theme, Nils Andersson’s paint-ing Heimdall Returns Brísingamen to Freyja(Fig. N) is of particular interest to theNationalmuseum. It can be seen as usher-

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Heimdall Returns Brísingamen to Freyja

Carl-Johan OlssonCurator, Paintings and Sculpture

Fig. N Nils Andersson (NUNTÓNUSR),Heimdall Returns Brísingamen to Freyja, NUQS.

Oil on canvas, UQ ñ ST cm.Purchase: Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund.

Nationalmuseum, åã TNPUK


ing in the development, over more thanthirty years, of a genre that would assume astrong position both in the academic worldand among a broader public.

Nils Andersson (NUNTÓNUSR) camefrom a poor background and initiallyworked for several years as a decorativepainter, before being admitted to the Aca-demy of Fine Arts in Stockholm in NUQM, atthe age of OP. He paid his way as a studentby doing genre paintings, but to hold hisown at the Academy he was forced to try hishand at history painting in the annual com-petitions. The painting Heimdall ReturnsBrísingamen to Freyja, now acquired by theNationalmuseum, was one of his submis-sions. The NUQS competition attracted en-tries from five painters and one sculptor. Ofthese artists, Nils Andersson, Nils Blommér(NUNSÓNURP) and Carl Staaff (NUNSÓNUUM)won cash prizes. There is no record of theidentities of the other three.2

According to the myth of the Brísinga-men necklace, it was made by four dwarves.

Malmö Art Museum (Fig. O). It has much incommon with Nils Andersson’s painting, asregards both composition and accessories.Blommér’s representation, though, strikesus as decidedly flat, in the sense of a relief-like French Neoclassicism. Andersson onthe other hand, by rotating his figuressomewhat and giving them a freer body lan-guage, imparts a different dynamic to thescene and greater expressiveness to its pro-tagonists.

History painting was not something NilsAndersson would continue to pursue, how-ever. Instead, he came to specialise in genresubjects. As a consequence, he made small-er waves than the history painters of his day,and would never experience a major break-through or become one of the leadinglights of the Swedish art scene. But he wasable to make a living from his art for therest of his life, and from NURU to NUSQ heheld a professorship at the Academy ofFine Arts.

Heimdall Returns Brísingamen to Freyja rep-resents a genre which, for a long time, hasnot attracted a great deal of interest. In fu-ture, the Nationalmuseum intends to haveon display more examples of NVth-centuryhistory painting, which was once an impor-tant strand of Swedish art. In OMNO, theMuseum acquired a series of paintings byAugust Malmström which formed the basisfor illustrations to Esaias Tegnér’s Frithiof’sSaga, and which were the subject of anarticle by Professor Tomas Björk in the lastissue of the Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum,Stockholm.3

Notes:NK Karl Johanstidens konst, Signums Svenskakonsthistoria, Lund NVVVI p. NTQ.OK I am grateful to Eva-Lena Bengtsson, curatorat the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts,for information on the entrants in the NUQS

competition.PK Tomas Björk, “August Malmström andEsaias Tegnér’s Frithiof’s Saga”, in Art Bulletinof Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Volume NVI OMNOIStockholm OMNP, pp. OPÓPM.

When Freyja, goddess of fertility, saw it, shewas unable to resist its beauty. She offeredsilver and gold in exchange for the neck-lace, but the dwarves refused to part with itunless she spent a night with each of them– which she agreed to do. Norse mythologyincludes several stories about Freyja andBrísingamen. The newly acquired paintingrepresents the moment at which Odin’sson Heimdall restores the necklace toFreyja, after it has been stolen from her byLoki. In the work of the Icelandic writerSnorri Sturluson, we can read how Heim-dall sees Loki stealing it, follows him andfights with him to recover it.

How, then, was an ancient Norse sub-ject represented in NUQS, by an artist whohad yet to complete his training and whohad spent no time abroad? Andersson’sversion is of interest, not least, because itshows how, in their endeavour to create anational art, the artists of this period werestill feeling their way towards a visual lan-guage of their own. The painting is asmuch French Classicism as Norse mytholo-gy. Freyja and Heimdall are classical beau-ties, with a statuesque perfection of formand faces that betray only carefully con-trolled emotions. Later in the NVth centu-ry, Norse themes in painting become dark-er, more powerful and psychologicallymore penetrating, not unlike modern-daycinema.

A comparison of the different paintingsentered for the same competition tells us agood deal about how the individual artiststackled the subject in question. Like a the-atre or film director, each of them, as theirwork progressed, weighed up different pos-sibilities in terms of pose, gesture and facialexpression. One question to consider washow the main figures were to be placed inthe picture space and in relation to eachother. Another was the use of props andother figures. The competition entries canalso be viewed in the light of what was atstake for these young artists. An ambitious,highly detailed manner of painting was away of showing off one’s skill. Nils Blom-mér’s version is now in the collection of the

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Fig. O Nils Blommér (NUNSÓNURP), HeimdallReturns Brísingamen to Freyja, NUQS. Oil on canvas,UV ñ SSKR cm. Malmö Art Museum.


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Cat in a Summer Meadow

Carl-Johan OlssonCurator, Paintings and Sculpture

Fig. N Bruno Liljefors (NUSMÓNVPV), Cat in a Summer Meadow, NUUT. Oil on canvas, SN ñ TS cm. Purchase: Sophia Giesecke Fund. Nationalmuseum, åã TNOUK


få NVVO the Nationalmuseum acquired fivepaintings by Bruno Liljefors. Four of them– Red-Backed Shrike, Corncrake, Chaffinchesand Willow Warbler – were mounted togeth-er, while the fifth, Nestlings of Red-BackedShrike (Fig. Q), was purchased separately.Originally though, the last-mentionedpainting was framed together with the new-ly acquired Cat in a Summer Meadow and thecomposition of four bird studies. To beginwith, these six paintings constituted thelargest known set of the kind of animalstudies, mounted together, which Liljeforsexecuted in the NUUMs, and of which only afew intact examples now exist. The acquisi-tion of Cat in a Summer Meadow (Fig. N) isalso important in the sense that it meansthat the painting Nestlings of Red-BackedShrike (Fig. O) can now be experienced inthe way Liljefors intended (Fig. P).

Cats and dogs are the only domesticat-ed animals given a prominent place in Lil-jefors’ pictorial world. There are clear dif-ferences, though, between his images ofthe two. Dogs figure primarily in scenes re-lated to hunting, and act at the hunter’scommand. Cats, on the other hand, usuallyappear as independent predators. Liljefors’love of felines is well documented, and theway he depicts them seems to reflect apainstaking process of observation thatgives his representations of cats a subtlesensitivity compared with those of dogs.

From its position in the lower right-hand corner of the painting, our Cat in aSummer Meadow appears to have its gazelocked on a quarry outside the picture.Judging from its posture, it is moving veryslowly. Although unconventional perspec-tives were something very much associatedwith Liljefors in the NUUMs, it is difficult tofind compositions from that period whichplace the most meaning-bearing element sofar from the centre of the image.1 What,then, can Liljefors’ intention with thisarrangement have been? Allan Ellenius, inLiljefors: Naturen som livsrum (Nature as Liv-ing Space), recounts how the commissionerof another cat subject (Cat in a FloweringSummer Meadow, NUUQ) complained that


OQ

Fig. O Bruno Liljefors (NUSMÓNVPV), Nestlings of Red-Backed Shrike, NUUT. Oil on canvas, SMKR ñ QS cm.Purchase: Axel Hirsch Fund. Nationalmuseum, åã SUTQK


OR

periphery in a painting like Cat in a SummerMeadowmay be comprehensible to the view-er. But if the lower part of Nestlings were tobe taken out of context, it is uncertainwhether that would be the case. A conceiv-able explanation for the way the focus ismade to dissolve downwards through thepicture is that Liljefors wanted to use the op-tical disposition of the human field of visionas a starting point for both viewing and rep-resenting the subject. A simple test showsthat, if that was his intention, he has suc-ceeded. Focus on the birds and note at thesame time how, without lowering your gazein the slightest, you perceive the foliage be-low them. In all probability, your perceptionof the lower part of the image would havebeen identical even if the artist had painted

“there was ‘too little’ in the picture, makingthe surroundings desolate”.2 Ellenius addsthat “Liljefors commented on this criticismin a letter to Zorn, explaining that the catstalking its prey makes a ‘better impression’without a lot of unnecessary details.”3 In thenewly acquired painting, which is datedthree years later, the artist has taken thisidea a step further. In the NUUQ painting, heplaced the flowers in an even pattern acrossthe entire picture surface. In the later one,the vegetation is painted with less emphasison the representation of individual detailsand with no evident thought for the decora-tive effect that informed the earlier picture.

As in Cat in a Summer Meadow, the per-spective of Nestlings of Red-Backed Shrike andthe arrangement of its different elements

strike us as unconventional. The youngbirds are perched high up in the picture,and below them we see a sandy bank overwhich a plant spreads its green leaves. Thefive nestlings are painted in great detail,while the vegetation is characterised bymore economical brushwork. In the lowerpart of the canvas, the artist has used sug-gestive brushstrokes to represent an intri-cate mass of foliage.

Scanning the whole of the picture sur-face with our gaze, we notice a striking con-trast between the birds, with the areaaround them, and the lower portion withthe leaves. I have found no other exampleof Liljefors’ work from the NUUMs in whichthe focus fades away as markedly as inNestlings. Even on its own, a segment of the


Fig. P Bruno Liljefors (NUSMÓNVPV), Cat in a Summer Meadow and Nestlings of Red-Backed Shrike, NUUT. Oil on canvas, VP ñ NRS cm. Nationalmuseum, åã TNOUand åã SUTQK


the leaves with great attention to detail.Such an intention possibly also explains thearrangement of the picture. Placing thebirds high up creates a single, larger periph-ery, rather than two smaller ones corre-sponding to a little less than the upper andlower halves of the painting. There are thusfewer parts for the eye to relate to.

What significance, then, does remount-ing the pictures have for our understand-ing of them? Liljefors himself does notseem to have written or said anything aboutthe thinking behind arrangements of thiskind. Research has suggested that they maybe modelled on Japanese Harimaze wood-cuts – woodblock prints of several imageson a single sheet, intended to be cut outand glued in an irregular order on screens,which are often gilt.

I have not found any example amongthe arrangements preserved where two pic-tures are perceived as a coherent spatial en-tity. Nor is this the case with Cat in a SummerMeadow and Nestlings of Red-Backed Shrike. Inall these groups of images, we can note dif-ferent kinds of overarching relationshipsbetween the individual paintings, consist-ing for instance in possible food chains. All

degrees of focus. The meaning which thesehave when we examine each picture on itsown remains when we view the two togeth-er, but now an additional explanation alsoemerges. The passages painted least sharplyin the pictures turn out to be immediatelyto the right of the cat and to the left of thebirds. Liljefors has thus made the imagesdependent on one another, without allow-ing them to encroach on each other. As faras the nestlings are concerned, the simplypainted area in the upper right of the catpicture shifts the focus onto them. Evenmore importantly perhaps, this virtually“empty” area allows the branch the birdsare perched on to seem to reach in acrossthe other painting.

With the acquisition of Cat in a SummerMeadow, a work of art has been recreatedand the two pictures now appear in a verydifferent light. The ideas behind the com-positions become clear, and the wholewhich they form constitutes perhaps themost interesting example of how Bruno Lil-jefors worked with varying degrees of focus.The two paintings demonstrate what an ex-ceptional eye he had for nature and ourperception of it. It is often noted how reluc-tant Liljefors was to represent animals anec-dotally. Cat in a Summer Meadow, togetherwithNestlings of Red-Backed Shrike, shows howthe “Harimaze principle” seems to have of-fered a logical solution to this. It makes itpossible to depict species living in each oth-er’s vicinity without imposing on the viewera sequence of events that evokes associa-tions with human stories, and to focus in-stead on different manifestations of theconditions in which the individual animalslive.

Notes:NK In Liljefors’ later work, the animals are oftenplaced markedly outside the centre of thepicture, but this should be linked to the conceptof camouflage, which became one of his mostimportant basic themes.OK Allan Ellenius, Bruno Liljefors: Naturen somlivsrum, Stockholm NVVS, p. 54.PK Ibid.

of them incorporate at least one fox, cat orbird of prey. Such a relationship can also beseen between Cat in a Summer Meadow andNestlings. The immediate links between thepictures, however, seem in the first instanceto be purely technical. I shall attempt hereto highlight features that appear to demon-strate the artist’s concern to create a uni-fied whole out of these two paintings.

To begin with, the colours in each pic-ture have counterparts in the other. Lilje-fors has, where necessary, balanced the in-dividual hues. The blue patch of sky inNestlings would probably, as the only ele-ment of blue, have been too luminous, butit is subtly balanced by blue accents in theform of flowers or dabs of pure colour scat-tered across the left-hand picture. On theinside edges of the paintings, a certain typeof brushwork seems to transcend theboundary between them and make themparts of a single whole. Towards the top,the upper edges of a patch of soil in the left-hand picture and some greenery in theright-hand one form a diagonal that cutsacross both images. Perhaps the most inter-esting device for getting the paintings towork together is the artist’s use of different


OS

Fig. Q Bruno Liljefors (NUSMÓNVPV), Four Bird Studies in one Frame. Oil on canvas and wood, VV ñ NSS cm(frame). Nationalmuseum, åã SUTPK


OT

iÉ k~íáçå~äãìëÉìã a brillammentacquis à Londres une admirable statuettefrançaise, La fidèle Amitié (Fig. N).1 Nonsignée, mais incontestablement de la mainde Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS) quil’exposa au Salon de NTVR, elle vient trèsopportunément enrichir la collection deterres cuites constituée autour des œuvresde Sergel.

On connaît mieux depuis plusieurs an-nées l’art de Stouf, un des artistes les plusoriginaux de son temps. Si des pans impor-tants de son activité restent toujours dansl’ombre, on en sait suffisamment pourpouvoir dégager, petit à petit, une person-nalité artistique. Celle-ci se révèle tout par-ticulièrement par le choix de nouveauxthèmes et l’utilisation d’un style très per-sonnel, ce que montre de manière élo-quente la statuette du Nationalmuseum.Le sculpteur restant aujourd’hui un artistepeu connu du public, il semble utile derappeler ici les grandes étapes de son par-cours au moins jusqu’à la fin des annéesNTVM.

Jean-Baptiste Stouf naît à Paris, le R jan-vier NTQO, d’un père menuisier.2 Elève deGuillaume II Coustou, il est admis à con-courir au grand prix de sculpture de

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Une statuette en terre cuite de Jean-Baptiste Stouf au Nationalmuseum

Guilhem ScherfConservateur en chef au département des Sculptures du Musée du Louvre

Fig. N Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS),La fidèle Amitié/The Faithful Friendship, NTVR.

Terracotta, RUKR ñ PTKO ñ ORKR cm.Purchase: Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund.

Nationalmuseum, åãëâ OPQTK


princesse de Monaco, maîtresse du princede Condé. Il va orner de sculptures deuxbâtiments dans le parc de son château deBetz: pour le Pavillon du Repos àl’extérieur, un bas-relief représentant uneDormeuse; pour le Temple de l’Amitié, dansdes niches à l’extérieur, les statues de Cas-tor et Pollux, et au-dessus de la porte in-térieure un bas-relief représentant Oreste etPylade se disputant l’honneur de se sacrifierpour Iphigénie.10 En NTUP, le sculpteurachève une statuette en marbre, signée etdatée (Fig. O). Publiée comme représen-tant L’Etude,11 cette œuvre raffinée et trèspeu connue, dont on ne connaît pas lecommanditaire (peut-être quelqu’un del’entourage du prince de Condé) pourrait


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Louis XVI (disparus).5 Une deuxième de-mande, le V octobre NTTR, porte sur unbuste décoratif d’homme noir.6 Ces œu-vres étaient destinées au décor du domainede Canon en Normandie. Stouf aurait aus-si sculpté en pierre pour la courd’honneur du château un groupe d’ «Hen-ri IV montrant à Louis XVI les peuplesqu’il va rendre heureux».7 En NTTU ilachève un Torse de cerf en plomb pourl’abreuvoir des chiens dans la cour des che-nils de Chantilly, commandé par le princede Condé.8 L’œuvre a disparu, mais elle estconnue par un dessin à la sanguine qu’unélève de l’artiste, le Canadien FrançoisBaillairgé, exécuta d’après un modèle dansson atelier.9 Stouf travaille ensuite pour la

l’Académie royale dès NTSQ et est lauréatd’une première médaille à un prix dequartier en NTST.3 Après plusieurs échecs,il obtient en NTSV le deuxième prix. Grâceà une protection spéciale obtenue parCoustou auprès de Marigny, il part pourRome, où il peut loger comme externe àl’Académie de France à partir de juilletNTTM. Il obtient en NTTN un troisième prixau concours clémentin de l’Académie deSaint- Luc,4 et est cité dans une lettre du di-recteur de l’Académie, Natoire, en NTTP. Ilest de retour à Paris avant le OR juin NTTR,date d’un contrat avec l’avocat Elie deBeaumont: il doit exécuter, sous la surveil-lance artistique de son maître Coustou,deux bustes en marbre d’Henri IV et de

Fig. N Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), La fidèle Amitié/The Faithful Friendship, NTVR. Terracotta, RUKR ñ PTKO ñ ORKR cm. Purchase: Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãëâ OPQTK


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illustrer La Connaissance. L’allégorie fémi-nine tient un livre ouvert, comme la Con-naissance chez Ripa; la colonne, attributusuel de la force d’âme, est aussi celui dela constance, toujours chez Ripa. Le styleici est original. Le corps féminin est assezplantureux, bien mis en valeur par undrapé moulant dans le goût grec: il nes’agit ici ni du type physique de Caffieri, nide Clodion, ni de Boizot. Le petit visageaux paupières lourdes, muni d’une coif-fure précieuse de petites boucles, seretrouvera dans bien des œuvres de Stouf.Le désir de rendre original un sujet –unetendance récurrente de l’artiste- est évi-dent ici: l’action de feuilleter un livre estrare en sculpture. Le personnage ne secontente pas de lire des pages ouvertes, ilest dans l’action de feuilleter les pages, des’imprégner avec constance du contenu dulivre.

Le OT mars NTUQ Stouf est agréé àl’Académie royale de Peinture et de Sculp-ture. Il est reçu membre le OU mai NTURavec une statuette en marbre, Abel expirant.Devenu sculpteur du roi, il peut désormaismontrer ses œuvres au Salon, et il va enprofiter: il va exposer à tous les Salons del’ancien régime, en NTURI NTUTI NTUVI NTVN(puis sous le Directoire en NTVRI NTVUÁF.En NTUS il obtient une commande majeurede la direction des Bâtiments du Roi, la sta-tue d’un «Grand homme de la France»,Saint Vincent de Paul, et sous le Directoire lastatue deMontaigne.12 Actif sous l’Empire13 etjusqu’au début de la Restauration,14 il meurtà Charenton le 1er juillet NUOS.

L’originalité de Stouf apparaît demanière éclatante avec son morceau de ré-ception,15 lequel fut sculpté en marbred’après un modèle de son choix,16 et quiemporte l’unanimité des suffrages (Fig.P).17 Si la pose est inspirée des modèlesd’académie,18 elle révèle aussi d’autressources d’inspiration possibles.19 Maisl’essentiel est ailleurs: Stouf a voulu mon-trer autre chose qu’un corps sans vie. Lesujet de la figure en effet – unique exem-ple dans la série des morceaux de récep-tion d’un sujet tiré de la Bible20 – n’est pasAbel mort, mais Abel expirant. Stouf a voulu

Fig. O Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), La Connaissance (?), NTUP. Marble.Wildenstein Gallery, New York.


Deux éléments ici nous interpellent: «Béli-saire» et «tête d’étude». On sait que depuisla parution du récit de Marmontel, enNTST, le sujet de Bélisaire était apprécié desartistes.26 Si Stouf n’a pas connu le Bélisairede Peyron, montré à Rome en NTTV, il a puvoir les tableaux de Vincent (Salon deNTTT) et, surtout, de David (Salon deNTUN).27 Avec sa terre cuite de NTUR, lesculpteur se montre ainsi en phase avec undes sujets les plus modernes du moment.De plus, il choisit de montrer une «têted’étude». Cet usage de la tête d’étudecomme oeuvre d’art en soi, composée avecsoin et subtilement achevée, que l’on peutmontrer en public, pratiqué par les dessina-teurs et des graveurs, l’est moins par lessculpteurs. On connait de nombreusesétudes dessinées de têtes de vieillards,c’était un exercice courant, et quelques-unes ont été gravées. Demarteau notam-ment grava à la manière de sanguineplusieurs têtes de vieillard d’aprèsBouchardon (Fig. T), et l’une d’entre ellesfut exposée au Salon de NTTN. Stouf étaitalors en Italie, mais grâce au portefeuille de

transcrire le dernier souffle de vie del’innocent, premier mort de l’espèce hu-maine. Avec son héros adolescent expirantla bouche ouverte, Stouf a admirablementrendu le caractère atroce de l’événement –la jeunesse souffrant –, la beauté résidantdans l’horreur selon l’esthétique du sub-lime.21 Si Abel expirant de Souf reçut un en-thousiasme unanime à l’Académie, ce nefut pas tout à fait le cas au Salon, quoiquela statue, systématiquement remarquée, ysoit généralement louée. Si le Journal deParis apprécie dans la figure «une mollessequi tient de la nature» et une tête qui «a del’expression», le Journal général de Francenote que «les observateurs difficiles y ont re-marqué peu du grand goût de l’antique»,alors que l’artiste a réussi à rendre «toute lasouplesse, l’aisance, la finesse de la nature».L’Aristarque moderne au Salon déplore juste-ment cet attachement au réel: l’Abelmourant «est trop décharné». L’artiste,délibérément éloigné d’une quelconqueidéalisation antique, s’est appuyé sur l’étudeanatomique d’un modèle vivant parti-culièrement maigre – «décharné» – afin de


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rendre encore plus sensible la transcriptiond’un dernier instant de vie. Cette attentionde Stouf à la sélection de ses sujets etl’originalité de leur traduction plastiquerestera une constante de son art.

Au même Salon de NTUR, le sculpteurexpose une Jeune fille affligée, «tête d’étude»en terre cuite, que l’on identifie avec celledu Louvre (Fig. R).22 Elle est présentée avecun pendant masculin, une autre «têted’étude» représentant «Bélisaire». Si cetteterre cuite a disparu, on conserve un mar-bre plus tardif du même sujet, signé au re-vers, acquis récemment par le muséeJ. Paul Getty de Los Angeles (Fig. Q). Cemarbre a été montré au Salon de NTVN23 oùil était apparié avec une Jeune fille pleurant(déjà exposée au Salon de NTUV sous letitre «Tête de femme en marbre. LaTristesse»).24 Ce dernier marbre, conservéau Louvre,25 reprenant avec variantes laterre cuite de NTUR, il est envisageable deconsidérer que le marbre du musée cali-fornien est resté fidèle à la compositiond’ensemble du Bélisaire disparu en terrecuite de NTUR.

Fig. P Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Abel expirant, NTUR. Marble. Musée du Louvre, Paris.


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dessins et d’estampes rapporté de Paris parson élève Baillairgé, on sait que des estam-pes de Demarteau circulaient dans son ate-lier.28 Une autre preuve de l’intérêt queStouf portait à ce type d’estampe est laprésence dans le portefeuille de Baillairgéd’une copie dessinée d’une Tête de vieillardenturbanné de Michel Ange Slodtz:29 Bail-lairgé n’a probablement pas copié le dessinde ce dernier, qui était dans les collectionsroyales,30 mais plutôt l’estampe spectacu-laire à la manière de sanguine (Fig. S)31

dont une épreuve devait se trouver dansl’atelier de Stouf. Il existe une parenté en-tre ces études de vieillard d’après lesdessins de Bouchardon et de Slodtz, et leBélisaire de Stouf tel qu’on le voit sur le mar-bre du Getty: même attention extrêmeportée au boucles des cheveux – une con-stante chez Stouf, que l’on trouve chezBouchardon-, à l’expressivité de la jouecreusée, des yeux enfoncés, des rides… AuSalon de NTUR, cette paire de sculptures

représentant une jeune fille affligée et unvieillard aveugle32 devait offrir un effet decontraste saisissant: la jeunesse et la vieil-lesse, le regard implorant et les yeux vides,la peau délicate et la barbe avec les rides…On retrouve cet effet de contraste, ce sensde la terribilità, avec la dernière œuvreprésentée au Salon de NTUR, Hercule combat-tant les centaures (Fig. U).33 La présentationdu groupe sur un piédestal orné de bas-re-liefs narratifs sur quatre côtés, est inha-bituelle, comme s’il s’agissait d’un projet decoffret ou d’un monument. La composi-tion présentant le combat d’Hercule contredeux centaures est habilement entortillée,«pénible, nous dirions presque tourmen-tée» écrivit le Mercure de France. Il est possi-ble que Stouf ait voulu se confronter auxgrands sculpteurs florentins du XVIe siècle(Jean Bologne, Vincenzo de’ Rossi) endésirant composer en ronde bosse troiscorps emmêlés, mêlant l’homme etl’animal. Mais là encore il innove dans son

choix iconographique: il ajoute, par rap-port aux grands marbres de Jean Bologneet de son école (diffusés par des petitsbronzes), un défi supplémentaire, celuid’un deuxième centaure. La présence dansson groupe de deux corps de chevaux en-tremêlés ajoute à la complexité incroyablede la composition. L’enjeu était de fairetourner dans l’espace des volumes com-plexes et de créer des figures appréciablesselon une multiplicité de points de vue.Mais à cette ambition de sculpteur, Stoufajoute une note personnelle, son interpré-tation du motif. Il donne ainsi au centauredéfait une expression de douleur alanguiequi est celle d’Abel ou de la jeune fille af-fligée, laquelle contraste avec la violencesauvage du visage d’Hercule.

Au Salon de NTUT, Stouf présente no-tamment le modèle en plâtre de sa statuede saint Vincent de Paul, première versionde sa composition connue par une terrecuite au musée de Minneapolis;34 au Salon

Fig. R Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Jeune fille affligée, Salon de NTUR.Terracotta. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Fig. Q Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Bélisaire, Salon de NTVN. Marble.The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.



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Le prochain Salon où Stouf montra sesœuvres est celui de NTVR, une fois passésles temps forts et douloureux de la Révolu-tion. C’est le moment du Directoire, unepériode de réaction où la société est avidede légèreté et de pathétisme sensible. Lessculpteurs, espérant regagner une clien-tèle, exécutent à cette date quelques- unesde leurs plus belles terres cuites, multipli-ant les sujets plaisants et tendres: Bacchantetenant une coupe, portée par un satyre et un bac-chant, avec deux enfants de Clodion,37 Psychéet Ariane abandonnée de Pajou,38 La Mater-nité représentée par une jeune femme et ses en-fants de Marin,39 La Charité et L’Amour ado-lescent de Julien...40 Stouf expose dans cecontexte La fidèle Amitié,41 que l’on recon-naît dans la terre cuite nouvellement ac-quise par le Nationalmuseum de Stock-

holm. Cette statuette est montrée au Salonde NTVR avec une composition typique del’esprit du temps, La Vérité se débarrassant duvoile qui nous la dérobe, découvre l’Innocenceopprimée.42

Si l’Amitié est un des motifs les plusfréquents en sculpture au XVIIIe siècle, et,dans une moindre mesure, la Fidélité aussi,il est exceptionnel que les deux sujets soienttraités ensemble, l’Amitié étant considéréede facto comme fidèle (surtout par rapport àl’Amour…). C’est ce qu’indiquent lesmanuels d’iconographie usuels (Ripa parled’ «Amitié sincère», Gravelot de sentiment«invariable»): «Un parfait amy prés ou loingde la personne aymée, en est en tout tempsinseparable» (Ripa),43 «En quelqu’ état quenous soyons, l’amitié nous procure toujoursle plaisir de rendre service à notre ami» (La-

suivant le modèle en plâtre d’une figured’Androclès pansant la blessure d’unlion;35 et quatre œuvres à celui de NTVN,dont l’extraordinaire «esquisse d’ungroupe, dont le sujet est allégorique à J. J.Rousseau: une mère et ses enfants rendenthommage à son buste, en déposant au basune couronne civique» (Fig. V).36 Si le sujetprincipal de ce petit monument est lecouronnement du buste de l’écrivain parun génie, un motif utilisé fréquemmentdans les frontispices d’ouvrages, il se dis-tingue par l’originalité des personnagesaccessoires – la mère et ses deux enfants,l’enfant à la lyre posant son pied sur la fig-ure terrassée de l’Envie – et leur style con-torsionné et expressif. Stouf se révèle ici àson meilleur, multipliant les trouvaillesplastiques.

Fig. T Gilles Demarteau (NTOOÓNTTS), d’après Edme Bouchardon(NSVUÓNTSOF, Tête de vieillard. Crayon-manner engraving. Collectionparticulière. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Fig. S Michel Ange Slodtz (NTMRÓNTSQ), Tête d’homme barbu enturbanné.Crayon-manner engraving. Collection particulière. Musée du Louvre, Paris.


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combe de Prezel),44 «qu’en tous tems, qu’enquelque lieu que ce soit, dans la bonne oumauvaise fortune, la véritable amitié est in-altérable» (Gravelot).45 La statuette deStockholm mêle habilement les signes ca-ractérisant les deux allégories. L’Amitié aune robe simple et la poitrine dénudée,46

elle est coiffée d’une guirlande de fleurs degrenadier,47 sa main droite montre soncoeur,48 ses pieds sont nus;49 quant à laFidélité, elle a un chien à ses pieds,50 et elle apour attribut une tourterelle.51 On remar-que en outre sur la statuette une corbeillede fruits et de fleurs disposée près des piedsde la jeune femme. Sur les pans coupés del’autel les deux roseaux étroitement liés,d’une part, et ce que l’on peut identifiercomme le tronc de l’ormeau autour duquels’entoure une vigne,52 d’autre part, rappel-lent le thème de l’Amitié.

Mais la présence sur l’oeuvre de signesiconographiques propres à l’Amour ap-porte une complexité nouvelle. En effet,l’ornementation de l’autel triangulaire àl’antique sur lequel La fidèle Amitié s’appuieest saturée de références à l’Amour. Lescoins de l’autel sont ornés de colombes,animaux chers à Vénus, et on remarque surla frise des anneaux entrelacés. Sur une facede l’autel, dans le médaillon, un Cupidonporte torche et cœur embrasé, et on recon-naît juste au-dessus son arc et son carquois;sous le médaillon se trouvent une massuecroisée avec une quenouille, allusion auxamours d’Hercule et d’Omphale. Surl’autre face, le médaillon est orné d’une lyreautour de laquelle s’enroulent des fleurs etdes branches. Au-dessus se trouvent un pa-pillon et, semble-t-il, un caducée. Si le papil-lon est le symbole de l’âme et le caducéecelui de la félicité, la lyre est celui de «la par-faite Harmonie». 53

La fidèle Amitié, fortifiée par le chienqu’elle caresse et conseillée par la tourterelleavec qui elle dialogue, en tournant le dos àl’Amour et ses dangers, symbolisés par les ex-cès de la passion d’Hercule envers Om-phale, reflète l’harmonie et la félicité del’âme.

L’analyse iconographique de la sta-tuette ne laissant guère de place au doute


Fig. U Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Hercule combattant les centaures, Salon de NTUR. Terracotta.Institute of Arts, Detroit.


Notes:NK eK RUIRX iKPTIOX Pr.ORIR cm. L’œuvre apparaîten vente aux enchères à l’hôtel Drouot à Paris(étude PIASA, T décembre OMMR, n°NNQ) avantde figurer dans le marché de l’art parisien(cat. Le XIXe siècle, galerie Talabardon et Gautier,décembre OMMS, n°N) puis dans le marché de l‘artlondonien (cat. Extraordinary Beautiful. Frenchterracotta and plaster, NTSRÓNUNR, galerie DanielKatz, OMNM, n°R). Acquis par le Nationalmuseumen OMNP, NMSk OPQT.OK On peut consulter la notice de Stanislas Lamidans son Dictionnaire des sculpteurs de l’écolefrançaise au dix-huitième siècle, Paris, NVNN, t. II,p. PQQÓPQTI mais avec précaution. Les indicationsbiographiques et bibliographiques qui suiventapportent des corrections à ce texte ancien.PK Antoine Cahen, «Les Prix de quartier àl’Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture»,Bulletin de la Société de l’Histoire de l’art français(NVVPFI NVVQI p. TR.QK Ferdinand Boyer, «Les artistes français lauréatsou membres de l’Académie romaine de Saint-Luc dans la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle»,Bulletin de la Société de l’Histoire de l’art français,NVRT, p. OUOKRK Ernest de Ganay, «Les jardins de Canon enNormandie», Le Figaro artistique, U juillet NVOS,p. SNNKSK Buste d’un homme noir enturbanné, plomb etmarbre, portant les inscriptions suivantes: surl’épaule gauche, «Stouf fecit en NTTR», et surl’épaule droite: «demandé par Mr Elie deBeaumont le VÓUbre NTTR». Vendu à Paris, PalaisGalliera, le OU novembre NVTN, no PT, repr.; puisHôtel George V, le NU décembre OMMN, n°NOMIrepr.TK Alain de Mézerac, «Canon. Les Bonnes gens»,n° spécial de la revue Le Pays d’Auge, juin NVUP,p. NSÓNTI OVX Le château de Canon, maison deschamps d’un avocat philanthrope, SNEP Edition,NVVO, p. NNKUK Gustave Macon, Les Arts de la Maison de Condé,Paris, NVMP, p. VSKVK Le Canadien François Baillargé, à Paris entreseptembre NTTU et mars NTUN, est mentionnédans le registre des élèves de l’Académie«comme élève de M. Stouf, protégé parM. Lagrenée le jeune» (Paris, Ecole nationalesupérieure des beaux-arts). Voir le catalogue del’exposition François Baillairgé (NTRVÓNUPM).Un portefeuille de dessins académiques, sous ladirection de Laurier Lacroix, Montréal, Galeried’art Concordia, NVUR, n°OUr.NMK Gustave Macon, Les jardins de Betz. Descriptioninédite publiée pour le Comité Archéologique de Senlis,


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quant à son sujet, il convient à présentd’étudier le style de l’œuvre afin d’étayerson attribution et la rattacher au corpus dessculptures connues de Jean-Baptiste Stouf.La composition est d’une originalité ab-solue: l’attitude pleine de grâce et de désin-volture de la jeune femme assise sur l’autel,les jambes croisées et la main caressant lemuseau du chien; le face à face presque éro-tique de sa bouche avec le bec de latourterelle; l’oiseau déplaçant sa couronned’un coup d’aile, sur le côté de la tête. Untel travail dans le traitement d’un sujet cor-respond aux meilleures recherches deStouf: le dernier souffle de vie d’Abel expi-rant, la paire inquiète de la jeune fille af-fligée et de Bélisaire aveugle, les contrastessublimes d’Hercule et des centaures ou despersonnages du monument à Rousseau, etannonce directement le chef d’œuvre duSalon de NTVU, l’insolite Femme effrayée d’uncoup de tonnerre qui vient de rompre un arbre àcôté d’elle du Salon de NTVU (Fig. NM).54 Plus

précisément, le style de la statuette de Stock-holm s’intercale parfaitement entre le mo-nument à Rousseau daté de NTVM et laFemme effrayée de NTVU. Si la pose des jambescroisées de l’Amitié évoque celle du Génie,la figure de la Femme effrayée rappelle en touspoint notre Fidèle Amitié: même élongationdu corps féminin, même visage au nez droitet pointu, à la petite bouche sensuelle,même draperie collante aux longs plis bienmarqués, même subtile instabilité dans lapose.

La réapparition de La fidèle Amitiéaprès le Salon de NTVR,55 et son acquisi-tion par le Nationalmuseum, est unévénement. Elle contribue spectaculaire-ment à une meilleure connaissance de cetartiste si original qu’était Jean-BaptisteStouf, et à la reconstitution de son œuvre.Celle-ci demeure l’une des plus passion-nantes de l’art français du dernier quartdu XVIIIe siècle.

Fig. V Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Etude pour un monument à Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Salon de NTVN.Terracotta. Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris.


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Senlis, NVMUI p. OOI OPI PTI RRI SNI SOK Si lePavillon du Repos a disparu, le Temple del’Amitié avec ses sculptures est toujours conservé.NNK Joseph Baillio, cat. exp. The Arts of France fromFrancois 1er to Napoléon 1er. A centennial Celebrationof Wildenstein’s Presence in New York, New York,Galerie Wildenstein, OMMRÓOMMSI no NOT, repr.L’Iconologie de Ripa (trad. française illustrée,NSQP), le Dictionnaire iconologique de Lacombede Prezel (éd. NTRSI NTTVF et l’Almanachiconologique de Gravelot (NTSS) décrivent l’Etudecomme un jeune homme.NOK Cat. exp. La Révolution française et l’Europe,sous la direction de Jean-René Gaborit, Paris,Grand Palais, n°NNNU et NNNV.NPK Voir James David Draper, «A Statue of theComposer Grétry by Jean-Baptiste Stouf»,The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, May NVTM,p. PTTÓPUT.NQK Il expose pour la dernière fois au Salon deNUNV.NRK Musée du Louvre. Sculpture française II –Renaissance et Temps modernes, sous la direction deJean-René Gaborit, vol. O, Paris, NVVU, p. RVU.NSK Le OT mars NTUQ, Augustin Pajou présenteaux académiciens réunis Jean-Baptiste Stouf,«aspirant sculpteur, qui a fait apporter de sesouvrages. Les voix prises à l’ordinaire, l’Académiea agréé ladite présentation du sieur Stouf et lui aaccordé d’exécuter en marbre, pour son morceaude réception, la figure d’Abel qu’il a présentée».Le OU mai NTUR, Pajou, à nouveau, présente Stoufqui apporte «le morceau qui lui avait été ordonnépour sa réception, représentant Abel expiré sousles coups de Caïn». Voir Procès-verbaux del’Académie royale de Peinture et de Sculpture…, t. IX,Paris, NUUV, p. NVMÓNVN, et p. OQM.NTK Mémoires et journal de J.-G. Wille graveur duroi…, Paris, NURT, t. II, p. NOM: «Une figure, laMort d’Abel, qui fut reconnue si belle qu’il futreçu d’une voix unanime».NUK Baillairgé dessina dans l’atelier de Stouf unmodèle dans une pose très proche de l’Abelexpirant: cat. exp. Baillairgé, cité supra, n°PTKNVK L’antique - Fils de Niobé mort -, l’art italien duXVIIe siècle: Sainte Cécile de Maderno, Abel mortd’Andrea Sacchi (estampe dans le recueil gravédu cabinet Crozat), les morceaux de réceptiond’autres sculpteurs français – La chute d’Icare dePaul-Ambroise Slodtz (NTQP, musée du Louvre).OMK Stouf a sûrement connu le célèbre poèmeLa mort d’Abel de Salomon Gessner, dont lapremière édition française est publiée en NTSM.Une autre édition, également non illustrée,paraît, justement, en NTUQ.

Fig. NM Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS), Femme effrayée d’un coup de tonnerre qui vient de rompre un arbre àcôté d’elle, Salon de NTVU. Terracotta. Musée du Louvre, Paris.


«Amitié»). Elle a «pour vêtement une simpletunique… pour désigner sa sincérité et sacandeur» (Lacombe de Prezel, «Amitié»).Gravelot reprend le texte de Ripa.QTK «Sa guirlande est de feuilles de myrthe et defleurs de grenadiers entrelassées… symbole del’union des volontez» (Ripa, «Amitié»). Elle a«sur la tête une couronne de fleurs de grenade,dont la couleur de feu qui ne change point, et lesymbole de l’ardeur et de la constance que doitavoir l’Amitié» (Lacombe de Prezel, «Amitié»).«L’union des différentes fleurs qui forment sacouronne est le symbole de la puissance qui dedeux volontés sçait n’en faire qu’une mêmechose» (Gravelot, «Amitié»).QUK «De sa main droite elle monstre son coeur»(Ripa, «Amitié»), «la poitrine découverte jusqu’àl’endroit du cœur où elle portoit la main droite…parce que les véritables amis, présens ou absens,sont toujours également unis par le cœur»(Lacombe de Prezel, «Amitié»).QVK «Elle se plaît à la nudité de ses pieds… pourcequ’il n’est point d’incommodité qu’elle n’endurepour le service de son amy» (Ripa, «Amitié»; idemchez Lacombe de Prezel).RMK «L’expérience fait voir tous les jours, quec‘est le plus fidelle de tous les animaux, et le plusamy de l’homme» (Ripa, «Fidélité»). Elle a «unchien qui est à ses côtés» (Lacombe de Prezel,«Fidélité»). Gravelot note plaisamment que lechien est plus le «modèle» que «l’emblème»de la Fidélité…RNK «Pour attribut une tourterelle, symbole de laFidélité» (Lacombe de Prezel, «Fidélité»).ROK On lui fait «embrasser un ormeau sec,entouré d’un sep de vigne, afin de donner àconnoître par là, que l’Amitié ne doit pas moinsparoistre dans les disgraces que dans les succezfavorables…» (Ripa, repris par Lacombe dePrezel et Gravelot).RPK Lacombe de Prezel, NTTV, p. RNI NMP et NPN.RQK Paris, musée du Louvre. Cat. exp. L’espritcréateur, cité supra, n°NOV.RRK L’œuvre est décrite comme «esquisse en terrecuite» dans le livret du Salon (n°NMUS), justeaprès l’esquisse de La Vérité se débarrassant de sonvoile (n°NMUR). La «Liste des artistes qui doiventexposer au Sallon divers objets d’art avec la noticede leurs ouvrages et mesures» (Archives desmusées nationaux, X- Salon an Q xNTVRÓNTVSz,folio Q) donne les dimensions des trois œuvresexposées par Stouf: «La Vérité se débarrassant duvoile: P pieds [c. VTIR cm], le même sujet en terrecuite: H. NS pouces [c. QPIO cm], La fidelle amitiéen terre cuite: O pieds de proportion [c. SR cm].»


PS

ONK «Tout ce qui traite d’objets terribles… est unesource du sublime; ou, si l’on veut, peut susciterla plus forte émotion que l’âme soit capable desentir»: Burke, Recherches philosophiques sur l’originedes idées que nous avons du beau et du sublime(première traduction française en NTSR), Paris,1803 (traduction de E. Lagentie de Lavaïsse),p. SVKOOK Musée du Louvre. Nouvelles acquisitions dudépartement des Sculptures NVVOÓNVVR, Paris, NVVS,n°OU (notice de Guilhem Scherf).OPK L’œuvre est décrite comme une «Tête deBélisaire en marbre» dans le premier livret duSalon de NTVN. Celui-ci, mis au pilon à la suited’événements révolutionnaires à l’Académie, futremplacé par un deuxième livret, où l’œuvre estmentionnée comme «Tête de vieillard enmarbre». Voir Guilhem Scherf, «Le livret refusédu Salon de NTVN: quelques remarques sur lessculptures», Bulletin archéologique du CTHS: MoyenAge, Renaissance, Temps modernes, fasc, OR,p. RP et RUKOQK L’œuvre figure dans le catalogue del’exposition de la Société des Amis des Arts deNTVN, n°RT, comme «Tête d’Expression»(Udolpho van de Sandt, La Société des Amis desArts (NTUVÓNTVU). Un mécénat patriotique sous laRévolution, Paris, OMMS, p. TN). Elle conserva cetitre lorsque Stouf l’exposa à nouveau au Salonde NUNQ: «Tête d’expression, en marbre,représentant l’Affliction».ORK Musée du Louvre, NVVU, op. cit., p. RVU.OSK Anne-Sophie Barrovecchio, Le complexe deBélisaire. Histoire et tradition morale, Paris, OMMV.OTK Les tableaux représentant Bélisaire de Peyron,Vincent et David sont conservés respectivementaux musées de Toulouse, Montpellier et Lille.OUK Estampes d’après des académies de Carle VanLoo et de Bouchardon, et des têtes de Pierre. Il yavait aussi une estampe de Bonnet, toujours enmanière de sanguine, d’après un des enfants dela fontaine de Grenelle de Bouchardon. Voir cat.exp. Baillairgé, cité supra, n°NI QI RI NPKOVK Cat. exp. Baillairgé, cité supra, n°PUr.PMK Paris, musée du Louvre, département des artsgraphiques, inv. POURN (provient du Cabinet duRoi).PNK Francois Souchal dans sa monographie deréférence sur Slodtz, parue en NVST, ignoraitl’existence de l’estampe.POK Michel Ange Slodtz avait déjà conçu unepaire analogue (Chrysès et Iphigénie), dont l’espritfut repris par Louis Simon Boizot à lamanufacture de Sèvres.PPK «Petit groupe d’Hercule combattant lesCentaures. Sur le socle sont des bas-reliefs

représentant ses travaux». Detroit, Institute ofArts. Cat. exp. L’esprit créateur de Pigalle à Canova.Terres cuites européennes NTQMÓNUQM, sous ladirection de James David Draper et GuilhemScherf, Paris (musée du Louvre) – New York(Metropolitan Museum of Art) – Stockholm(Nationalmuseum), OMMPÓOMMQ, n°TN.PQK Cat. exp. L’esprit créateur, cité supra, n°NNOKPRK Ce modèle est parfois reconnu dans unefigure en bronze, dont un exemplaire est àl’Ashmolean Museum d’Oxford (Nicholas Penny,Catalogue of European Sculpture in the AshmoleanMuseum NRQM to the Present Day, vol. II, Oxford,NVVO, p. TVÓUM), et qui est aussi diffusée commeornement de pendule (par exemple, venteTroyes, OP juin OMMO).PSK Paris, musée des arts décoratifs: cat. exp.L’esprit créateur, cité supra, n°RTKPTK Daté NTVR. Pasadena, Norton Simon Museumof Art: cat. exp. Clodion, par Anne L. Poulet etGuilhem Scherf, Paris, musée du Louvre, NVVO,p. SS, fig. PQ.PUK Psyché abandonnée, une terre cuite datée NTVR

(non localisée), une autre de NTVS (Los Angeles,County Museum of Art); Ariane abandonnée, datéeNTVS (Louvre). Voir cat. exp. Augustin Pajou, parJames David Draper et Guilhem Scherf, Paris,musée du Louvre et New York, MetropolitanMuseum of Art, NVVTÓVU, fig. ONM, n°NPT et NPSKPVK Terre cuite, non datée, à Detroit, Institute ofArts, mais très probablement à identifier aveccelle du Salon de NTVR: cat exp. Clodion, citésupra, fig. OOO.QMK Cat. exp. Pierre Julien, sous la direction deGilles Grandjean et Guilhem Scherf, Le Puy-en-Velay, musée Crozatier, OMMQ, fig. OR (localisationinconnue) et cat. OS (Bayonne, musée Bonnat).QNK Salon de NTVR, n°NMUS: La fidèle Amitié,comme esquisse en terre cuite.QOK Stouf présentait l’esquisse en terre cuite et lemodèle en plâtre, tous deux disparus.QPK Cesare Ripa, Iconologie, ou Explication nouvellede plusieurs images…, trad. Jean Baudoin, Paris,NSQP, première partie, p. VKQQK H. Lacombe de Prezel, Dictionnaireiconologique, t. I, Paris, NTTV, p. PS.QRK Almanach iconologique, année NTTP, neuvièmesuite, Etres moraux avec leurs Explications, par M.Gravelot, Paris, NTTP, p. VKQSK «Elle est simplement vestüe d’une robeblanche; et peu s’en faut que son épaule gauchene soit aussi nuë que sa belle gorge, qu’elle atoute descouverte… La livrée de l’Amitié sincèreest toujours blanche, et son habillement sansparure, pour une marque de sa franchise, qui nepeut souffrir ny artifice, ny déguisement» (Ripa,


PT

f å éêÉ JoÉîçäìí á çå~êó France,women artists were rarely found within thepower centre of art, the Royal Academy ofPainting and Sculpture in Paris. From themid NUth century to the Academy’s aboli-tion in NTVP, only five women were electedas members. Despite this, the male powerelite felt so threatened that, in NTTM, a deci-sion was taken to formalise the unwrittenrule limiting the number of female acade-micians at any one time to four. Conse-quently, there was an unusually long delay inadmitting two of themost prominent womenartists of the period, Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun(NTRRÓNUQO) and Adélaïde Labille-Guiard(NTQVÓNUMP). Finally though, in NTUP, acombination of artistic virtuosity and royalpatronage cleared the way for their election.Vigée-Lebrun was favoured by Queen Marie-Antoinette, while Labille-Guiard counted theking’s aunts among her patrons. At the sametime, the two were each other’s rivals,though with slightly different specialitiesand circles of clients. Both of them workedin pastels and oils, but Labille-Guiard alsoemerged early on as a portrait miniaturist.

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ã á å á ~ íìêÉ Äó ~Ç¨ä~ ≥ Ç É ä~Ä á ä ä É J Öì á ~êÇ

Madame Lefranc Painting a Portrait of her Husband Charles Lefranc:A Miniature by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard


Fig. N Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (NTQVÓNUMP),Madame Lefranc Painting a Portrait of her

Husband Charles Lefranc, NTTV.Watercolour and gouache on ivory,

Diam. SKS cm, ormolu mounting.Purchase: Hjalmar and Anna Wicander Fund.

Nationalmuseum, åãÄ OSORK


At the age of OR, Adélaïde Labille-Guiardwas one of the first female artists to pub-licly exhibit a portrait miniature. This wasat the Salon de Saint Luc in NTTQ, where,with evident pride, she presented a self-portrait. The choice of art form was strate-gic. It was possible to make a living fromportrait miniatures, painting them re-quired little space, and, as with pastels,there were no strong smells involved.What is more, they were quick to produce.Labille-Guiard’s teacher was a neighbourof her father’s fashion shop, the Swissenamellist François-Elié Vincent. Admit-tedly, none of his work has been identi-fied, but we can be fairly sure that it con-sisted of enamels reproducing paintingsby the great portraitists of the day. Theneed for such miniatures was linked, notleast, to perhaps the most exclusive formof official gift at this time, gold boxes bear-

and Sculpture, Labille-Guiard basicallygave up painting portraits in this format. Bythen, she had attracted pupils such asMarie-Gabrielle Capet and Marie-Thérèsede Noireterre. It now fell to their lot to turnher portraits into miniatures, all to satisfythe varying wishes of her customers.

Quite apart from Labille-Guiard’s altru-ism in helping less well-to-do female art stu-dents, she no doubt also appreciated theadvantages in having them copy her por-traits in a small format. We know of severalminiatures by Marie-Gabrielle Capet in par-ticular, reproducing portraits painted byher teacher. Others are to be seen more asvariations, as with Capet’s NTVT miniatureof the Comtesse de Genlis (Fig. O), which inturn alluded to Labille-Guiard’s portrait ofthe same sitter from NTVM (now in the LosAngeles County Museum).

Unlike her teacher, Marie-GabrielleCapet remained unmarried. For the rest ofher life, she was to be part of AdélaïdeLabille-Guiard’s household, even after thelatter was remarried to fellow artistFrançois-André Vincent. The family, as thearchetype of the artistic workshop, is cen-tral to an understanding of the role ofwomen artists, and especially of those activeas miniaturists. They were dependent fortheir position on their husbands or fathers.The degree of independence or evenemancipation which they enjoyed was en-tirely contingent on their status within thefamily and on the workings of the market.In that sense, the household was a produc-tion unit comprising different specialistsand capable of meeting the ever-changingwishes of customers. The interesting thingin the case of Labille-Guiard was that she, asa woman, headed the family studio andtook only female pupils under her wing.

The acquisition of this spectacularwork by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, madepossible by funding from the Hjalmar andAnna Wicander Foundation, fills an impor-tant gap in the Nationalmuseum’s world-famous collection of miniatures. At thesame time, Madame Lefranc Painting the Por-trait of her Husband Charles Lefranc is testa-ment to an age in which women wereemerging in earnest as significant artistsand, in the field of miniature painting, fi-nally became the leading exponents.

ing a portrait of the monarch or othermembers of the royal family. Public com-missions abounded, creating considerabledemand for royal portraits in miniature.Private clients, too, often wanted versionsin a smaller format. In Labille-Guiard’spre-Revolutionary output, we thus findseveral examples of such work.

Five years after her debut, Adélaïde La-bille-Guiard produced an unusually inter-esting portrait miniature of Madame LefrancPainting the Portrait of her Husband CharlesLefranc (Fig. N). The work is of interest forits subject alone, in that it shows a woman,albeit an amateur, in the role of an artist.Labille-Guiard was previously unrepresent-ed in the collections of the Nationalmuse-um, which has now been able to acquireone of her very rare miniatures. One rea-son for their rarity is that, four years afterbeing elected to the Academy of Painting

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ã á å á ~ íìêÉ Äó ~Ç¨ä~ ≥ Ç É ä~Ä á ä ä É J Öì á ~êÇ

PU

Fig. O Marie-Gabrielle Capet (NTSNÓNUNU), Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Aubin (NTQSÓNUPN), marriedComtesse de Genlis. Purchase: Hjalmar and Anna Wicander Fund. Nationalmuseum, åãÄ ORSNK


PV

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ìå á èìÉ éä~íÉ ï~êãÉê

A Unique Plate Warmer

Anders BengtssonCurator, Applied Art and Design

Fig. N Rudolf Wittkopf, plate warmer, Stockholm NTMV. Silver, e NOI t OM cm. Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund. Nationalmuseum, åãâ NMOLOMNPK


qÜÉ k~íáçå~äãìëÉìãÛë collectionof Swedish silver from the early NUth centu-ry has acquired an addition that is probablyunique, a plate warmer made by RudolfWittkopf in Stockholm in NTMV (Fig. N).This is the only known preserved Swedishlate-Baroque specimen of its kind, andconsists of a tripod on cast feet and a re-movable burner with a holder for oil. Theupper part of the burner has vents to allowthe necessary air for the flame to burn, andthe rim of the plate warmer has three vo-lute-shaped handles to support the platewith food while being kept warm.

The new, refined table manners thatwere introduced in the Swedish nobility inthe early NUth century emulated French so-ciety. The Nationalmuseum’s large collec-tion of drawings includes two pictures ofcontemporary French réchaudes or platewarmers (Figs. O and P).1 The purpose ofthese pictures was to serve as models for theSwedish royal court and nobility when or-dering modern silver tableware. We knowfrom the household accounts of dowagerqueen Hedvig Eleonora, that this fashion-conscious royal personage bought “a silverplate hob that could also be used as a bra-zier” (“en silverfatsring att ock kunna bruka

Swedish late Baroque silver, demonstratinghow up-to-date the Swedish court and no-bility were with contemporary, especiallyFrench, trends.

The Nationalmuseum’s purchase ofRudolf Wittkopf’s plate warmer was madepossible by a generous donation from theBarbro Osher Fund.

Notes:NK NM THC UMT and NM THC UQM respectively.OK Carl Hernmarck, Åke Stavenow and GustafMunthe, Svenskt Silversmide NROMÓNURM, Part II,Senbarock, Fredrik I:s stil och rokoko NTMMÓNTUM,Stockholm NVQP, p. SM, figs. NRNÓNRO.PK Erik Andrén, Svenskt Silversmide: Guld- ochsilverstämplar NROMÓNURM, Stockholm OMMM, p. NMP.

till fyrfat”) from the silversmith Petter Hen-ning in NTMR.2 Very few pieces of royal sil-verware from this period are preserved.Apart from the plate warmer acquired bythe Nationalmuseum there are no knownSwedish examples, indicating that objectsof this kind were unusual even at the time,and that only a few were made. From thelate NUth century, however, there are sever-al preserved réchauds, mainly for teapotsand serving dishes, showing that they hadsuccessors. These were also produced inplainer materials such as copper and brass,and became more common in the NVthcentury.

The maker of the plate warmer, RudolfWittkopf (active as a master in Stockholm inNSUTÓNTOO) immigrated to Sweden fromGermany and became one of the leadingand most skilled silversmiths of the period,and his customers included the QueenDowager of the Realm Hedvig Eleonora. Hewas made an alderman of the guild inNTNN.3 His sons Henrik the Elder and Johanboth later became master silversmiths, theformer with large commissions for the royalcourt.

The new acquisition is a valuable addi-tion to the Nationalmuseum’s collection of

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ìå á èìÉ éä~íÉ ï~êãÉê

QM

Fig. O Plate warmer on four legs. Drawing in pen and black ink, greywash, on paper, OSS ñ QOM mm. Nationalmuseum, åã íÜÅ UMTK

Fig. P Plate warmer in silver. Drawing in chalk, pen and black ink, grey wash,on paper, NVM ñ OSM mm. Nationalmuseum, åã íÜÅ UQMK


QN

^ åÉï éáÉÅÉI of royal provenance, hasbeen added to the Nationalmuseum’s col-lection of furniture. The chair was madewhen the royal family moved into the RoyalPalace in Stockholm in NTRQ, an occasionwhen great efforts were made to create amodern interior for official occasions. ThePalace was decorated mainly with Swedishfurniture made by Stockholm’s best crafts-men.

The chair that has now been acquired,a “rygglänstol” (a chair with a backrest butno armrests), is believed to have been creat-ed for the royal dining room, the so-calledPillar Hall. It was intended for one of thechildren of the royal couple, the futurekings Gustav III or Karl XIII, or theiryounger brother Prince Fredrik Adolf. Inthe strict hierarchy of the royal court, thedesign of a chair was not left to chance.King Adolf Fredrik and Queen LovisaUlrika sat on gilt armchairs with exquisitecarvings, their offspring had gilt chairs withsimilar carvings, and guests who were per-mitted to sit down were given one of the OQyellow-painted chairs with simpler carvings

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ÅÜ~ á ê Ñ á í Ñ çê ~ éê á å Å É

A Chair Fit for a Prince

Anders BengtssonCurator, Applied Art and Design

Chair, attributed to Carl Hårleman (NTMMÓNTRP).Probably produced by Lorentz Nordin

(NTMUÓNTUS), Stockholm c. NTRQ.Gilt wood, fabric, e NMNI i RSI t TM cm.

Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NMQLOMNPK


that made up the rest of the suite.1 One fea-ture that demonstrated the rank of thechairs used by the royal children was thatthe backs were also adorned with carvings.Such niceties were usually considered un-necessary, since 18th-century chairs stoodwith their backs against the wall accordingto the interior fashion.

To comprehend the difference in rankbetween the royal children’s chairs andthose of the other guests, we can comparethe respective prices for production andgilding. The carved frame for a princelychair cost QS Silver Thaler, while the chairframes for guests cost less than a quarter, VSilver Thaler. In addition, gilding cost QMSilver Thaler per chair. All chairs in the roy-al dining room were upholstered in silkdamask woven in Sweden and supplied byBarthelemé Peyron. The silk had a crownpattern.

According to the preserved accounts,the chair frames were probably made byLorentz Nordin, and the decor carved byone of the French or Swedish ornamentalwood-carvers employed in the Palace work-shops. The “designer” of the chair is un-known, but it is characteristic of the palacearchitect Carl Hårleman’s stylistic ideals.Hårleman died in NTRP, the year before thechair was made, but his taste continued toinfluence the commissions carried out afterhis death.

The subsequent provenance of thechair (according to word of mouth, it stoodin the Gustavian Opera House until this wasdemolished in NUVO2 ) indicates that its cer-emonial role was eventually forgotten. Afurther indication of this is that arm restswere added some time in the NVth century,to increase its status; the chair still hasmarks from this adjustment.

The Nationalmuseum’s purchase ofthis fine piece of furniture of royal prove-nance was made possible by a generouscontribution from the Barbro Osher Fund.

Notes:

NK Bo Vahlne, Frihetstidens inredningar på Stockholms

Slott: Om bekvämlighetens och skönhetens nivåer,

Skrifter från kungliga Husgerådskammaren

no. NO, Stockholm OMNO, pp. NQP ff.

OK Bukowskis catalogue RTQ, spring OMNP,

lot no. QVMK

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L~ ÅÜ~ á ê Ñ á í Ñ çê ~ éê á å Å É

QOArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

QP

póäîá~ pí~îÉ (NVMUÓNVVQ) is one ofthe great mysteries of OMth-century designhistory. Born in Växjö as Sylvia Gadd, shecame to Stockholm at the age of ON. By herown account, she went there after runningaway from her father and stepmother inKristianstad. This also explains why shequickly adopted the name her mother hadtaken on remarrying – Stave. She was drawnto Stockholm and the Royal Academy ofFine Arts by strong artistic ambition, al-though the direct cause was an advertise-ment placed by the firm of C. G. HallbergsGuldsmedsaktiebolag, seeking new artistictalent. She submitted samples in the formof drawings, and was taken on. This was inNVOV. The following year, the great Stock-holm Exhibition was held. Her contribu-tions to it were a chessboard in pewter andebony, and an enamelled silver box. Thelatter was acquired by the Nationalmuse-um, and with that her success was assured.Aged just OP, Sylvia Stave became artisticdirector at C. G. Hallbergs. What trainingshe had and who served as her models,though, remains unclear.

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L ë ó äî á ~ ë í~îÉ á å íÜÉ å~í á çå~äãì ë Éìã

Sylvia Stave in the Nationalmuseum

Micael ErnstellCurator, Applied Art and Design


Fig. N Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ),cocktail shaker.

Silver plate.Nationalmuseum, åãâ PRLOMMTK


In February NVPP, Stave held her first majorexhibition. It was in the atrium of the NKdepartment store in Stockholm, and herfellow exhibitors were Folke Arström andRolf Engströmer, two great names amongthe designers of the day. The following yearshe contributed a larger collection of ob-jects in silver and silver plate to Liljevalchs’Bostad och Bohag (House and Home) exhi-bition. When Crown Prince Gustav Adolf(later Gustav VI Adolf) purchased aninkwell in connection with the display, herreputation went from strength to strength.In parallel with her successes at home,

vogue material silver plate (electroplatedsilver), not least, was among those shefavoured. Her designs were minimalist andunadorned. Additions in the shape of deco-rative elements were, it seems, either a con-cession to Hallbergs or something that wassimply tacked on as a selling point. Al-though the firm’s output was not dominat-ed by objects drawn by Stave, her designwork did confer prestige. Various exhibi-tions, in particular, contributed to this.

The forms she presented while at C. G.Hallbergs are marked to a large degree by asculptural, geometrical idiom. She was

Stave also exhibited abroad. Along with sev-eral other Swedes, she participated in exhi-bitions in Chicago in NVPP, Leipzig inNVPQÓNVPR and finally Paris in NVPT.

Someone who had his eye on SylviaStave from early on, and who was directly re-sponsible for the early acquisition of workby her for the Nationalmuseum, was ÅkeStavenow. He immediately noticed her dis-tinctive qualities as a designer. Stavenow wasfully aware that her ambitions lay, not pri-marily in mass production, but in a narrowsegment of exclusive and artistically avant-garde production of silver and pewter. The


QQ

Fig. O Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), coffee service. Produced by C. G. Hallbergs, Stockholm NVPMÓNVPQ. Silver plate. Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NTQ~ÓÅLOMNPK


QR

In NVPT, Stave participated in an exhibitionof Nyttokonst (Useful Art) at the National-museum, together with a number of fellowdesigners, but quite clearly as a representa-tive of C. G. Hallbergs. The same was trueof the World Expo in Paris that year. There,in what would prove a turning point in hercareer, she showed a series of works in sil-ver. Evidently, she now wanted to try herwings internationally, having felt obstruct-ed, as a young woman, by superiors and col-leagues alike. A conflict with Folke Arströmover a question of authorship was no doubta contributory factor. Arström accused

firmly rooted in her times, found inspira-tion in the various signals emanating fromthem, but then went on to offer somethingentirely unique. The sculptural interplay ofsurfaces and volumes recalls the Bauhausschool, founded in Germany in NVNV. Thelatter worked with a vocabulary of form thatcould be used in both a craft context andindustrial mass production. Stave employedthe same carefully worked-out, pure andaustere idiom. When her work came underscrutiny at the World Exposition in Paris inNVPT, one reviewer spoke of its “elegantsimplicity”. She disliked unnecessary deco-

ration, although, as we have seen, her de-signs were sometimes provided with deco-rative additions when they were made up atHallbergs. In this new, radical style, theNeue Sachlichkeit, Stave and her contempo-raries had found a modern expression thatlooked to the future and distanced itselffrom earlier epochs. Sylvia Stave is an enig-matic phenomenon, raising many ques-tions that are difficult to answer. What wereher sources of inspiration? The Bauhausmovement was no doubt one of them, al-though at the end of her life she herself de-nied this.


Fig. P Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), serving dish with cover. Produced by C. G. Hallbergs, Stockholm NVPMÓNVPQ. Silver plate. Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NVTLOMNPK


Stave of having stolen his work in her de-sign for the royal tennis cup, which was wonby the superstar of the day, Jean Borotra.When she applied to and was accepted bythe École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, it was inanswer to a desire for both artistic and per-sonal development. The management of C.G. Hallbergs Guldsmedsaktiebolag were fu-rious, clearly knowing nothing of herFrench plans. After a year in Paris, Stave re-turned home to design the NVPV collection,but would not stay long. She had now mether husband-to-be, the doctor René Agid,whom she married in NVQM. At the age ofPN she gave up a flourishing career, neveragain to turn her hand to design. Sylvia

keted by Alessi as a design of Sylvia Stave.Close contact with Walter resulted in hisselling a shaker to the Nationalmuseum inOMMT (Fig. N), drawn from his unique col-lection. Now, thanks to the Barbro OsherFund, the Museum has been able to ac-quire the whole of Rolf Walter’s collectionof QM items in all (Figs. OÓR). These objectsdemonstrate the high quality of Stave’sshort but intense career as one of the fixedstars of the interwar years. She is to be thesubject of both book and exhibition pro-jects at the Nationalmuseum in the nearfuture.

Stave became a housewife and died in Parisin NVVQ.

The revival of interest in Stave interna-tionally is linked to Alessi, who in NVUV be-gan manufacturing a variant in stainlesssteel of her jugs and cocktail shakers. TheAlessi shaker has different proportions andlacks the braided rattan handle of the origi-nals. It was launched as a design of one ofthe great names of the Bauhaus movement,Marianne Brandt.

The German-Swedish collector RolfWalter however, who had rediscoveredStave in the NVUMs and started collectingher work, was able to correct this misattri-bution. Today, the cocktail shaker is mar-


QS

Fig. Q Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), water jug. Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPMÓNVPQ. Silver plate. Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NUNLOMNPK

Fig. R Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), water jug. Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPMÓNVPQ. Silver plate. Purchase: Barbro Osher Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NVULOMNPK


QT

_ÉåÖí gìäáå (NVNNÓOMMR) made a gen-erous donation in NVUP establishing theBengt Julin Fund, which operates withinthe Friends of the Nationalmuseum. TheFund’s primary purpose is to assist withthe purchase of works of modern appliedart. Since its inception, it has enabled theNationalmuseum to maintain a high levelof ambition as regards contemporary ac-quisitions. Without the Fund, the Muse-um would have been unable to keepabreast of developments in this field andacquire examples of the Swedish appliedart of recent decades.

The Board of the Bengt Julin Fundhas the same composition now as whenthe Fund was created, although the indi-viduals involved have changed over theyears. Today, the donor’s family is repre-sented by Rolf Julin. Representatives ofthe Friends of the Nationalmuseum areAnn Westin (chair), Elsebeth Welander-Berggren and, as a co-opted member,Oscar Magnuson. The Nationalmuseumitself is represented by Micael Ernstell andthe Friends of a Design Museum (Form-museets vänner) by Adine Grate.

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Gifts from the Bengt Julin Fund in OMNP

Micael ErnstellCurator, Applied Art and Design

Fig. N Michael Eden (b. NVRR),vase, Maelstrom V, OMNN.

Nylon, blue mineral, e PMI i NTKRI t NS cm.Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum,

Bengt Julin Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ PLOMNPK


The Fund collaborates closely with theNationalmuseum in its efforts to acquiregood-quality works of contemporary ap-plied art. It also awards a “Young AppliedArtists” scholarship, candidates for whichare nominated by a jury appointed by theBoard. Since the first award in OMMNI NRyoung applied artists have received thisscholarship.

Among the gifts made to the Museumin OMNP, there were interesting examples ofboth contemporary and somewhat olderdesign. The latter category included threewomen designers active in the NVPMs. Oneof them, Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), workedfor ten years for the firm of C. G. HallbergsGuldsmedsaktiebolag (Fig. O). Apart fromone object acquired in NVPMI the National-museum did not begin collecting Stave’swork until OMMT, but has since made severalacquisitions, in particular in OMNP (see sep-arate article on p. QP). The other two, Wil-helmina Wendt (NUVSÓNVUU), who de-signed for Perstorp AB (Fig. P), and Kittyvon Otter (NVNMÓNVVN), a designer withGuldsmedsaktiebolaget (Fig. Q), had previ-ously not been represented at all in the Mu-seum’s collections. Their formal idiom in-dicates that they were closely attuned totheir times. Wendt, moreover, used themodern plastic isolite in combination withsilver. A feature these three female design-ers have in common is that they were activefor only a limited period and subsequentlyfell into oblivion.

Among contemporary acquisitions, men-tion should be made of the urn Maelstrom Vfrom OMNN (Fig. N), by the British design-er Michael Eden (b. NVRR). It was boughtfrom the London art dealer Adrian Sas-soon, and is the first object in the Na-tionalmuseum’s collections that is printedin PD. The material is nylon, colouredwith a blue mineral coating. Eden’s back-ground is as a conventional ceramic artist,but from OMMS to OMMU, at the Royal Col-lege of Art, he explored new digital tech-nologies for the production of three-di-mensional objects. His urn represents anencounter between craft and digital tech-


QU

Fig. O Sylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ), bowl. Produced by C. G. Hallbergs, Stockholm NVPS. Silver, black wood,e NNI t NQKU cm. Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ TPLOMNPK


QV

nology, with a shape that alludes to classi-cal forms used in ceramic art since antiq-uity. The technique of PD-printed objectsis something that has caught the interestof Swedish design school students in re-cent years, and we can expect more in thisarea in years to come.

Marie-Louise Reinius’s (b. NVQN) em-broidered work Academic Paths NewKarolinska is the product of a time-con-suming process (Fig. S). Several layers ofsilk fabric have been fastened with mini-mal stitches in silk thread. Reinius makespreliminary studies for her subjects in col-lage or watercolours. As the motifs areslowly transferred to embroidery in herown very specific technique, a tension aris-es. This particular piece, showing a plan ofa hospital, brings traditional male, politi-cally centralised and economically de-manding architecture face to face with tra-ditionally female and undervalued textileart. The work is one of several time-con-suming objects in a variety of materials ac-quired by the Nationalmuseum in recentyears and shown in OMNO in the exhibitionSlow Art.

For Stockholm, OMNP was somethingof a year of silver, marking the RMth an-niversary of the Association for Contem-porary Swedish Silver, founded in NVSPwith the Nationalmuseum as one of theprime movers. It is gratifying, therefore,that the Bengt Julin Fund has donatedthree very exciting examples of Swedishsilver, demonstrating that it remains a vig-orous art form capable of presenting newexpressions and techniques.

Åsa Lockner (b. NVTP), in her silverbowl A Body of Work, offers an example ofher own personal “scribble technique” (Fig.U). Here, we sense an affinity with the un-conventional silversmithing methods ofNVSMs Sweden. Lockner has abandoned tra-ditional tools and implements and foundinspiration in ballpoint scribbles on paper,where thick ink marks can bring up weals inthe paper. In the same way, she has workeda thin, circular sheet of silver with a ballpunch. The pressure on the metal, applied


Fig. P Wilhelmina Wendt (NUVSÓNVUU), brush, NVPR. Probably produced by Perstorp AB. Silver, plastic(Isolit), e U cmI i V cmI t MKT cm. Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ TQLOMNPK

Fig. Q Kitty von Otter (NVNM–NVVN), candlesticks. Produced by GAB, Guldsmedsaktiebolaget, StockholmNVPTK Silver, black wood, e TI t NN cm. Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum, Bengt JulinFund. Nationalmuseum, åãâ TR~ÓÄLOMNP.



RM

Fig. R Petronella Eriksson (b. NVSV), jug, Next Time I Will Be a Tree, OMNP. Silver, e OOKRI i NUI t OQ cm. Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum,Bengt Julin Fund. Nationalmuseum, åãâ QNLOMNPK


RN

Divisible Object Reminiscent of a Jug (Fig. TFwas designed in OMNP by the silversmithMagnus Liljedahl (b. NVTR). In a clear cri-tique of the classical aesthetics of silver,Liljedahl shapes his objects and leavesthem unfinished in a traditional sense: af-ter blanching, they are left unpolished,laying bare their construction.

Hollowware, and not least the coffeepot, has long enjoyed considerable status inSweden. With his jugs, Liljedahl is askingthe question: What will become of the clas-sic silver jug or coffe pot, given the contem-

in linear movements, produces the squarebowl shape. The material forms itself. Thebowl was subsequently blanched and leftunpolished on the inside, but polished onthe outside, imparting an exciting contrastto the object.

Petronella Eriksson’s (b. NVSV) silverjug seems to tell a story (Fig. R). The bodyis in the form of a seed that will hopefullygrow into something big, but which fornow is surrounded and defended bythorny branches – somewhat dangerous,yet also protective. The object, called Next

Time I Will Be a Tree, consists of a sphericalvessel with a handle in the shape ofbranches. The designer, who previouslyworked mainly in a small format, has nowmanaged the transition to a larger one,while retaining the balanced proportionsand strong expression characteristic ofher work. For her exhibition with thesame name as the jug, held at the Con-temporary Swedish Silver gallery in MarchOMNP, Eriksson drew inspiration from theplant kingdom, in particular from treesand water lilies.


Fig. S Marie-Louise Reinius (b. NVQN), embroidery, Academic Paths NewKarolinska, OMNO. Silk, gold tread, H PUKRI t PNKR cm. Donated by the Friendsof the Nationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fund. Nationalmuseum, åãâ OQSLOMNPK

Fig. T Magnus Liljedahl (b. NVTR), jug, Divisible Object Reminiscent of a Jug,OMNPK Silver, e OMI i NOI t TKS cm. Donated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fund. Nationalmuseum, åãâ OQTLOMNPK


porary fascination with automatic espressomachines? Buying an expensive appliancedoes not seem to be a problem, while anobject in silver has greater difficulty attract-ing customers. Liljedahl is seeking to visu-alise the issues at stake by designing a seriesof jugs that do not work in practical terms.Their function as works of art, as aestheticobjects – as sculpture – is underlined. Theprincipal discussion, though, is about ourmaterial culture and lack of knowledge andunderstanding of older craft traditions.

The idea of a dividable object was oneMagnus Liljedahl put forward as early asOMMV, in his first solo exhibition as a new

two parts that remain after it is opened arethus “undressed”. It is up to the owners ofthese artworks whether or not they want toopen them, and so far only one has chosento do so.

member of the Association for Contempo-rary Swedish Silver. In that instance, theobjects in question were boxes that couldbe divided by pulling a tab, in the sameway as with the Divisible Object Reminiscent ofa Jug, acquired for the Nationalmuseum.If you opened the box, it ceased to be artand became two containers that could beput to practical use. The tab, attached to aband, that is used to open these objectsbears the hallmarks. Once these marks areremoved from the object, it loses part of itsidentity, in that they inform us that this issilver and tell us about the maker andwhen and where the object was made. The


RO

Fig. U Åsa Lockner (b. NVTP), bowl, A Body of Work, OMNN. Silver, e VI i PNI t PN cm. Donated by the Friends of the Nationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fund.Nationalmuseum, åãâ NTNLOMNPK


RP

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qÜÉ éÜçíçÖê~éÜÉê Rolf Winquist(NVNMÓNVSU) was the director for manyyears of the popular studio Ateljé Uggla inStockholm. Best-known for its portraits,Stockholmers flocked here to have theirRM-year-olds, wedding couples and tinytots immortalised. The display window onKungsgatan attracted both professionalsand amateurs. Several generations of pho-tographers sought out Winquist, but hedid not offer any formal classes. Instead,his young assistants learnt through practi-cal work. For instance, Hans Gedda relat-ed how he would enter the studio afterWinquist had left, to examine his settingsand how he had positioned the lights andcamera, etc. Although the Swedish Na-tional Portrait Gallery already had worksby several prominent photographers whohave been employed at Ateljé Uggla (in-cluding works by Hans Gedda and HansHammarskiöld), there were no works byWinquist himself. Therefore, the acquisi-tion this year of one of his portraits ofGertrud Fridh is especially noteworthy.

A Portrait of Gertrud Fridh as Medea, by Rolf Winquist

Eva-Lena KarlssonCurator, Swedish National Portrait Gallery and Royal Castles Collections

Rolf Winquist (NVNMÓNVSU),Portrait of Gertrud Fridh (NVONÓNVUQ),

as Medea, NVRN.Gelatin silver photograph, PS ñ OUKR cm.

Purchase: J. H. Scharp Fund.Nationalmuseum, Swedish National Portrait

Gallery, åãÖêÜ QUVQK


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Like many others, Winquist became inter-ested in photography in his youth.1 In theNVNMs and NVOMs, pictorialism was a majortrend in Swedish photography. Photogra-phers such as Herman Hamnqvist, Ferdi-nand Flodin and Henry B. Goodwin want-ed to improve the status of photographyand to have it recognised as an art form.Winquist was not apprenticed to any ofthese, however, but attended the Slöjd-föreningen (a crafts college) in Gothen-burg, and later studied for the portrait pho-tographer David Sorbon. Around NVPM,Winquist’s works began to appear in vari-ous publications. In the NVPMs, he workedfor several studios, and as the official pho-tographer on the Swedish American Line’sships Gripsholm and Kungsholm. He also de-veloped an interest in street photographyin those years, a genre he continued to pur-sue parallel with portrait photographythroughout life. Whereas his later streetpictures are more documentary, his earlierwork demonstrates a greater social pathos.The contrasts were enormous between theelegant passengers on the liners and theimpoverished, outcasts on the streets ofLeningrad.

Before Winquist ended up at AteljéUggla, where he stayed for nearly PMyears, he worked for some time with ÅkeLange. Around NVQMI the portraits by thetwo photographers, who were roughly ofthe same age, were stylistically very simi-lar, with suggestive lighting, and contoursthat were often soft. Later, in the NVRMsand NVSMs, Winquist progressed towardsstronger, clearer light and sharper lines.

In NVRN, the director Ingmar Bergmanmade a production of the French writerJean Anouilh’s Medea for Swedish Radio.2

The female lead was played by GertrudFridh (NVONÓNVUQ), and Anders Ek playedJason. Fridh was an actress with a broadrepertoire in both tragedy and comedy, butis now mainly remembered for her roles inBergman’s stage dramas and films. Her firstmajor film role was as the variety singer inthe Bergman tragedy A Ship to India fromNVQT, and her last role for the director was

in the stage production of August Strind-berg’s play To Damascus in NVTQ. GertrudFridh was usually intense in her interpreta-tions. Her large, soulful eyes contributed tothis, especially on film, with its potential forclose-ups.

Rolf Winquist executed a series of por-traits of Gertrud Fridh as Medea the yearshe played this part in Bergman’s radiodrama. They differ radically in characterfrom his equally suggestive but usually ele-gant, aloof portraits of women. The tragicrole as Medea, the Greek princess who isbetrayed by Jason the Argonaut and hasher own children killed, is characterised byincredibly strong feelings. In these por-traits, Winquist has captured Fridh’s inter-pretation of Medea, with its combinationof smouldering rage and bottomless de-spair. Here we find the entire range fromwild fury to the collapse after her total de-feat. Some of the portraits are dominatedby violent gestures. In the photo that theSwedish National Portrait Gallery has nowacquired, Medea’s fury has passed thephase of violent wrath and is locked intoself-destructive, introverted anguish. Herarms are wrapped tight around her body.Her mouth has stiffened into an aggres-sive, almost bestial grin with teeth bared.Her eyes are filled with hatred. They stareinto the distance but she is blinded withunfathomable fury. Medea/Fridh is lockedinto eternity in her never-ending, ragingdesolation.

Exceedingly few female portraits revealan aggressive intensity such as that whichWinquist and Fridh together haveachieved in this interpretation of the rav-ing Medea. On the whole, expressions ofanger are rare in portraiture. When theydo appear, they are usually associated withmale subjects, such as military men. In his-tory painting and in role portraits, Medeahas been an intriguing figure for artistswanting to represent strong emotions. Inmany of these works, Medea is shown asguileful, despairing or seductive, ratherthan furious. To find an expression as in-tense as that in Winquist’s picture, we must

go to photos of the opera singer MariaCallas’ interpretation of Medea for thestage, or Pier Paolo Pasolini’s film fromNVSV.

The acquisition of this portrait ofGertrud Fridh as the raging Medea has en-riched the National Swedish PortraitGallery with one of Rolf Winquist’s mostpowerful works.

Notes:

NK Rolf Winqvist’s life and work are summarised

in Rune Hassner, Minnesutställning – bilder ur

fotograf Rolf Winquists produktion under trettioåtta år,

exh. cat. Liljevalchs Konsthall, together with the

Association of Swedish Professional Photogra-

phers and the Friends of Fotografiska Museet,

Stockholm NVTM. The information on Winquist’s

education and the rough outline of his career are

from this publication.

OK Jean Anouilh’s Medea was published in his

Nouvelles pièces noires: Jézabel; Antigone; Roméo et

Jeannette; Médée, Paris NVQS. Médée is based on

both Euripides and Seneca. Anouilh’s version,

however, is only loosely based on the classical

dramas – see Charles R. Lyons, “The Ambiguity

of the Anouilh ʻMedea”, in The French Review,

published by The American Association of

Teachers of French, vol. PTI No P (January),

Champaign NVSQ, p. PNOK


RR

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qÜÉ k~íáçå~äãìëÉìãÛëArtists Archivehas received as a gift some thirty documentsoriginating from Ernst Josephson (NURNÓNVMS), mostly letters and poems from differ-ent periods in the artist’s life.1 A few frag-ments of this material are presented below.

Josephson grew up in a Jewish familyin Stockholm and became active in the cir-cle of artists who, in the NUUMs, made cleartheir opposition to the prevailing academ-ic norm. A contemporary witness recountshow he spoke at an art exhibition inCopenhagen in NUUP: “I cannot remem-ber a word of what he said, I just remem-ber the youth, the passion, the fever, thebright optimism and the rhetorical splen-dour of his speech, which filled the roomwith wonder and atmosphere and drove awave of heat through the hearts of his lis-teners.”2 Josephson’s success was fragile,however, and his career would be split intotwo periods, before and after his mentalbreakdown in NUUU.

In NUUT, following a series of setbacks,Josephson had taken refuge on the Île deBréhat on the north coast of Brittany. Dur-ing his stay there he took part in spiritualistexperiments, and in NUUU he produced aseries of notes and images with features of“automatic” writing.3 In this “spiritual pro-tocol”, Josephson has dealings with spiritsof various kinds, including that of the mys-tic Emanuel Swedenborg. On NM JulyNUUU, he wrote to his sisters:

Ernst Josephson: Painting Poet and Poetic Painter

Magdalena GramDirector of Research, Archives and Art Library

Fig. N “Dear Sisters”, letter by Ernst Josephson, NUUU.Nationalmuseum Archives.


I am much changed since I last wrote to you. Adeep and solid piety has seized hold of me … Ihave received the most wonderful revelationsthrough Svedenborg [sic], through the art ofdrawing as well as through the art of writingand the organ of hearing. Indeed, I can evensense the spirits’ presence through the peculiarodour. And I have been visited by all kinds ofpeople, from the greatest to the lowliest, by bothkings and moneylenders, and through all thisGod has, in a simple and powerful way, sought

I thank you for the shameless way in which youhave thrown me into a lunatic asylum, pretend-ing that I ammad, because you surely don’t expectme to imagine that you believe me to be mad. It is,I admit, a good way of getting rid of someone. Butthe three gentlemen who perpetrated this outrage offorcibly throwing a peaceable wanderer into prison– for a madhouse is a prison, and a dreadful oneat that for someone who is sane – will soon nodoubt get a taste of the policemen’s whip, if there isany law and justice at all in this country …

to proclaim to me his will, and the meaning ofmy task in life.4

A few days after this letter came the col-lapse that brought Josephson back toStockholm. His condition deteriorated,and after walking, in great confusion, themany tens of miles to Uppsala, he wasadmitted to the city’s mental hospital.From there, Josephson wrote to his sisters(Fig. N):


RS

Fig. O “Tale of an Elf and a Snail”, poem by Ernst Josephson, NUTRKNationalmuseum Archives.

Fig. P “Christmas Eve”, poem by Ernst Josephson, NUTTÓNUTVKNationalmuseum Archives.


RT

He concludes:

I thank you for the parcels and odds and ends –I spend my time drawing figures and walkingaround whistling, and take the whole thingcalmly – thinking about my old proposition thatthe sane are locked up – and the mad walk free.

After his time in hospital, Josephson re-turned in NUUV to Stockholm, where hewas looked after at home. In FebruaryNUUU, unsure of his future as a visual artist,he had asked the writer Gustaf af Geijer-stam for help in getting his poems pub-lished.5 In the autumn of the same year,Svarta rosor (Black Roses) was issued by theBonniers publishing house. By the time anew selection of poetry entitled Gula rosor(Yellow Roses) appeared in NUVS, Joseph-son’s art had been shown at a retrospectiveexhibition in NUVP and his artistic creativityhad entered a new, productive phase.6

When Svarta rosor och gula (Roses Black andYellow) was published in NVMN, in a luxuryedition with a cover design by the artist NilsKreuger, Josephson was acknowledged as atrailblazer in both visual and verbal art.7

Josephson’s visual art came very muchto reflect the introspective approach of ayounger generation, and yet does not havethe same obviously biographical characteras his verbal art. There are, though, clearlinks between the figures in his poems andthe subjects of some of his portraits. Joseph-son’s own childhood resurfaces in the songcycle “To Little Gelly when She Lay Ill”,dedicated to the daughter of the artist’s de-ceased favourite sister Gelly.8 It was for her,too, that he wrote the poem “Tale of an Elfand a Snail”, in which the elf’s “bluish belt”is contrasted with the snail, which has at-tached its dwelling to the “mossy rock” bythe rushing water (Fig. O).9 To his sisterHilma he dedicated a childhood memoryin sonnet form (Fig. P).10 This poem intro-duces the “paper-doll musician”, a symbolicfigure that would recur in Josephson’s pic-torial world, including as the Water Spriteand the crucified Christ.11 And for hisnephew Carl he composed an unrhymed


Fig. Q “St John’s Eve”, poem by Ernst Josephson, NUTOKNationalmuseum Archives.


fairy tale in which Carl, in a dream, makesthe following reflection: “How often does itnot happen to us in this world that, thoughwe faithfully remain inside the gate, ourdreams take us beyond the stars!”12

Several poems testify to Josephson’slove of folk song and his reading of differ-ent poets. During a visit to Norway in 1872,he wrote a nature poem whose first stanzaruns (Fig. QF:

St John’s Eve, floral feast of the North,Lightest of light nights,When waterfalls roar from the fell,And in the valley fiddles and dancingcast their spell.

The contrast motif of the final stanza re-calls Josephson’s painting The Water Sprite(NUUQ), in which a dipper – a bird associat-ed with streams and waterfalls – leans outover the edge of the rock:

The closed eye finally graspsSome flowers, godparents of dreams,And a snow-white butterfly fluttersOver the depths of the abyss – Good night! 13

The musical quality of “St John’s Eve” re-curs in several other poems, including thelullaby-like “To the Newborn Child” andthe musical manuscript Festive Cantata witha Prayer, to be sung at the VMth birthday celebra-tion of Mrs Hanna Marcus (née Schlesinger),with words and music by Josephson.14

Josephson’s poems have also attracted theinterest of several composers, and amongthe material given to the Nationalmuseumis Henry Marcus’s setting of the title poem“Black Roses”, published as sheet music inNVMT.15 The first stanza reads:

Tell me, why are you so sad today,You who are always so merry and gay?No, I am no more sad todayThan when I seemed to you merry and gay;For grief has roses black as night.

The gift now received further enriches theNationalmuseum’s already extensive docu-

TK The combined volume was published by

Gernandts förlag.

UK The poem was published in Gula rosor. From

NUSR to NUSU, Gelly Josephson was married to

Fredric Marcus. After her death in childbirth,

Marcus married her sister Hilma. The younger

Gelly Marcus is portrayed by Josephson in Girl in

Blue (NUUP, Nationalmuseum, NM PNON).

VK This poem appeared in Gula rosor with the title

“The Elf and the Snail”.

NMK Published in Svarta rosor (Stockholm, NUUU),

under the heading “Two Sonnets”, and later in

Svarta rosor och gula as “Christmas Eve”. Hilma

Marcus, née Josephson, is portrayed by Josephson

in Mrs Hilma Marcus (NUUR, Nationalmuseum,

NM NUTN).

NNK Erik Blomberg, Ernst Josephson: hans liv

[vol. Nz, Stockholm NVRN, p. SNS.

NOK Hilma Marcus’s son Carl is portrayed by

Josephson in Boy with a Wheelbarrow (NUVOI

Nationalmuseum, NM ONQQFK

NPK The poem was published in Gula rosor as

“St John’s Eve”. In the material presented to

the Nationalmuseum, it is titled simply:

“To Fredrik and Hilma on their wedding day

[or anniversary]”. Fredrik Marcus was Ernst

Josephson’s brother-in-law, Hilma his sister.

Blomberg NVQRI pp. NV f.

NQK The poem “To the Newborn Child” was

published in Gula rosor. Hanna Marcus is

portrayed in Josephson’s painting Mrs Hanna

Marcus (NUUM, Nationalmuseum, NM PNOM).

Josephson wrote several musical compositions of

his own. An example of his boundary-crossing

creativity is the verse drama Peter Smed, which was

intended as an opera libretto. One part of it was

published in Karl Wåhlin’s journal Ord & Bild in

NUVP, another in Gula rosor.

NRK The poem was also set to music by Jean

Sibelius and Frederick Delius. Other composers

drawn to Josephson’s lyric poetry include Hugo

Alfvén, Emil Sjögren and Ture Rangström.

NSK See, for example, Nationalmuseum Archives,

Ernst Josephson, Biographica, NÓR.

mentation of Ernst Josephson’s artistic ca-reer.16 Several of the texts have previouslybeen published, but the original material,in the artist’s shifting handwriting, bringsus closer to the biographical context so es-sential to an interpretation of his art.

Notes:

NK Nationalmuseum Archives, Ernst Josephson,

Biographica, EJ:S. The material includes certain

documents not in Josephson’s own hand, among

them the poem “At Fredric Marcus’s grave, from

a friend of his youth” and a list of material

borrowed by the Josephson scholar Erik

Blomberg from the estate of Josephson’s niece

Gelly Marcus.

OK Karl Wåhlin, Ernst Josephson: en minnesteckning,

d. O, NUTVÓNVMS, Stockholm NVNO, Sveriges

allmänna konstförenings publikation, p. UR.

Wåhlin later worked as an art critic and editor,

and in NUVM was appointed to the staff of the

Nationalmuseum. His encounter with Josephson

in NUUP decisively shaped his approach as a

critic. Wåhlin was also the author of the first

major monograph on Josephson.

PK Josephson’s “Spiritual Protocol”

(“Andeprotokollen”), which is included in the

Nationalmuseum’s drawings collection, was

published in NVUU under the title Vid himmelrikets

portar: andeprotokollen från Bréhat sommaren NUUU

(At the Gates of Heaven: The Spiritual Protocol

from Bréhat, Summer NUUU), with a foreword by

Peter Cornell. The connection between art and

occultism was a phenomenon typical of this

period, and Josephson can be described as one

of the pioneers of automatism.

QK “Moneylenders” is Josephson’s term for his

fellow Jews.

RK Erik Blomberg, [Företal] Svarta rosor och gula:

dikter av Ernst Josephson i urval av Erik Blomberg,

illustrerade med författarens egna teckningar,

Stockholm NVQR, ppK T f.

SK Gula rosor was published in parallel editions,

in NUVS, by Jacob Dybwads Forlag in Kristiania

and the Stockholm publishers Wahlström &

Widstrand. A fly in the ointment of Josephson’s

comeback as a visual artist was the National-

museum’s decision to decline The Water Sprite

(Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde), which it had

been offered by Prince Eugen.


RUArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

RV

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L íÜÉ à ç ó ç Ñ Ö á î á åÖ

The Joy of Giving

Eva QvibergChair, The Friends of the Nationalmuseum

Nicolas Régnier (NRVNÓNSST), Sleeper Awakened by a Young Woman with Fire. Oil on canvas, NMN ñ NPP cm. Purchased with funds donated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum on their centennial OMNN. Nationalmuseum, åã TMTTK


qÜÉ cêáÉåÇë of the Nationalmuseumhave continued, in their second century, toperform what is their most important role:purchasing works of art for the National-museum. Since the organisation’s incep-tion in NVNN, we have been by far thelargest donor to the Museum. The reasonthe Friends came into being was the Na-tionalmuseum’s lack of resources for ac-quiring art objects – a state of affairs whichunfortunately remains unchanged to thisday. More than a hundred years of commit-ment, risk-taking and generosity mean thatvisitors are able to enjoy a Nationalmuseumwith considerably more objects than wouldhave been the case without the gifts madeby our organisation.

Thanks to the income from the capitalaccumulated in our funds and founda-tions, the Friends of the Nationalmuseumhave been able to contribute a substantialsum towards the purchase of the NUth-cen-tury master Alexander Roslin’s painting ofhimself and his wife Marie SuzanneGiroust portraying Henrik Wilhelm Peill(see article on p. NT). Between them, theBarbro and Henry Montgomery Endow-ment, the Gustav VI Adolf Fund, the MaxDinkelspiel Fund, the Brita and NilsFredrik Tisell Endowment, the Marit andHerbert Bexelius Fund and the Axel Me-lander Endowment Fund Foundation con-tributed a total of SEK SIQMMIMMM. TheFriends’ involvement was a crucial factor insecuring this acquisition.

In the winter of OMNPLNQ, the National-museum’sHans Gedda exhibition, with a his-torical commentary entitled Masters of Dark-ness, was shown at the Royal Swedish Acade-my of Fine Arts (see articles on pp. NMN andNMR. Several of the royal portraits in theGedda display were a gift from the Friendsto HM The King on his SMth birthday. Mas-ters of Darkness, which presented a selectionof the Museum’s fine collection of Car-avaggisti, included the painting Sleeper Awak-ened by a Young Woman with Fire, by NicolasRégnier. It was given to the Nationalmuse-um to mark the Friends’ centenary in OMNNK

Nationalmuseum curator Linda Hinnerswas the holder of the Friends’ centenary-year research scholarship. Based on her doc-toral thesis, on “French Sculptors andPainters at the Royal Palace in StockholmNSVPÓNTNP: Roles, contexts and practices”,she gave members an in situ talk about theFrench artists and craftsmen involved in theinterior decoration of the palace around theturn of the NUth century.

For a good many years, scholarshipsfrom the Friends of the Nationalmuseumhave provided welcome support for re-search, study travel and the like for the Mu-seum’s curators. In OMNP the Max Dinkel-spiel Fund contributed SEK NMMIMMM, divid-ed between two research scholarships. Trav-el grants totalling SEK VMIMMM were provid-ed from the Axel Melander EndowmentFund. In addition, the Theodor AhrenbergEndowment and the Sten WesterbergMemorial Fund contributed travel fundingof SEK ORIMMM each.

The Friends of the Nationalmuseumand its members take great pleasure andsatisfaction in being able to contribute to-wards purchases of artworks for the Muse-um, and in the opportunities our scholar-ships offer staff to further develop their ex-pertise in their respective fields. We aremost grateful when the wealth of knowl-edge that exists within the Nationalmuse-um can be shared with our membersthrough our travel programme and on oth-er occasions. Such encounters between in-dividual members and representatives ofthe Museum will, we hope, form the basisfor a continuing and deeper exchange inthe future.

The Bengt Julin Fund, with its focus on ap-plied art and design, has as usual helped toaugment the Nationalmuseum’s collectionsin this field (see article on p. QT). Amongthe gifts it has made possible, mention maybe made of a silver dish titled A Body of Workby Åsa Lockner, Petronella Eriksson’s silverjug Next Time I Will Be a Tree, and Bulb IVOMNO, a one-off piece in blown glass by AnnWåhlström.

Under our constitution, one of the ob-jectives of the Friends is to promote and en-hance interest in the Nationalmuseum andits activities among members and the gen-eral public. We therefore offer our mem-bership of around RIMMM a rich and well-de-veloped programme of guided tours, lec-tures, outings and foreign travel. The aim isto give members opportunities to extendtheir horizons, as knowledge often begetsan interest in more knowledge.

The Nationalmuseum’s exhibition CarlLarsson: Friends & Enemies was naturally ofinterest to many of our members (see arti-cle on p. VT). In OMNPI the Friends also vis-ited exhibitions at Prins Eugens Waldemar-sudde for example, enjoyed a combinedtour of Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquitiesand the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, whichformed part of the Castles Series alongwith a trip to Läckö Castle, and much morebesides. We visited such widely differingplaces as the De Geer Palace – the FinnishAmbassador’s residence – and the studioof silversmith Sebastian Schildt. Our springoutings are always much appreciated, andin OMNP the Friends visited Höja and Göks-bo manors.

During the year the Friends of the Na-tionalmuseum also travelled further afield,including to the Netherlands, to Oslo onthe occasion of the Edvard Munch anniver-sary, to Paris to follow the Museum’s collec-tions out into the world, and to Canada.For OMNQ, several trips are planned to mu-seums where members will be able to studyobjects lent by the Nationalmuseum for avariety of exhibitions.

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L íÜÉ à ç ó ç Ñ Ö á î á åÖ

SMArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

~Åèì á ë á í á çå ë L Éñéç ë ¨

SN

Acquisitions OMNP

Paintings bySwedish artists

Nils Andersson (NUNTÓNUSR)Heimdall Returns Brísingamen toFreyja, NUQSSigned “Nils Andersson”Oil on canvas, UQ ñ ST cmHedda and N. D. Qvist Fundåã TNPU(See article on p. ON)

Fig. NJohan Christoffer Boklund(NUNTÓNUUM)Soldier Memories, NUSMSigned “Johan Boklund NUSM”Oil on canvas, RNKR ñ QM cmUlf Lundahl Fundåã TNQM

Boklund’s painting is a fineexample of the sentimentallyhumorous trait in NVth centurygenre and vernacular painting.The aging soldier lets the youngboy wear his coat from the FinnishWar while he tells his old soldiermemories.

Fig. ONils Forsberg (NUQOÓNVPQ)Nils Forsberg Jr in the Artist’s ParisStudio, c. NVMMSigned “Nils Forsberg”Oil on canvas, TP ñ RRKR cmMagda and Max Ettler Fundåã TNOVNils Forsberg’s portrait of his son inthe studio has been interpreted asan allegory on the clash with theRoyal Academy's conservativeideals and values. His son is seated

on an overturned cast of an antiquesculpture in the artist’s Paris studio.Youth, or the new generation,triumphs in this personal inter-pretation of the antiquated ideals.Previously it has been datedNUUSÓUU but recently the urn of theforeground was identified as execut-ed by Nils Barck around the yearNVMM. Coincidentally, this urn is inNationalmuseum’s collection (åãâPMLOMMRFK

Fig. P, see pK SOStefan Johansson (NUTSÓNVRR)Portrait Study of a WomanMixed media on wooden panel,OMKO ñ NTKO cmTransferred from theNationalmuseum ArchiveåãÄ OSPT

Fig. Q, see pK SOCarl Larsson (NURPÓNVNV)Portrait of Thorsten LaurinSigned “CL, Nov. NVMU”Charcoal and watercolour on paper,RMKU ñ PRKR cmAxel Hirsch FundåãÄ OSPSThorsten Laurin was a publisherand art collector and had a stronginfluence on the Swedish art scenein the early NVMMs. He was, forinstance, chairman of Föreningenför Grafisk Konst (the Graphic ArtSociety) and initiated the Friends ofthe Nationalmuseum. Carl Larsson’sportrait of Laurin shows himsurrounded by books and art, andbears the dedication, “To my dearfriend Thorsten Laurin”. Theportrait was featured in OMNP in theexhibition Carl Larsson: Friends &

Fig. N Johan Christoffer Boklund, Soldier Memories, åã TNQMK Fig. O Nils Forsberg, Nils Forsberg Jr in the Artist’s Paris Studio, åã TNOVK



SO

Enemies at the Nationalmuseum’stemporary premises at the RoyalAcademy of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

Bruno Liljefors (NUSMÓNVPV)Cat in a Summer Meadow, NUUTSigned ”Bruno Liljefors”Oil on canvas, SN ñ TS cmSophia Giesecke Fundåã TNOU(See article on p. OP)

Fig. R, see pK SPAnna Nordgren (NUQTÓNVNS)Woman on a Train, NUTTSigned “Anna Nordgren NUTT”Oil on canvas, UV ñ SN cmHedda and N. D. Qvist Fundåã TNPQAnna Nordgren’s painting of awoman at a train window represents

the fascination with modern life inlate-19th century art. This categoryof motifs is comparatively scarce inthe Nationalmuseum collection,since few of the most famous artistsdevoted themselves to it to any greatextent. The painting was probablyoriginally commissioned by KingOscar II.

Fig. S, see pK SPJenny Nyström (NURQÓNVQS)The Convalescent. Study, c. NUUQOil on canvas mounted on panel,POKP ñ OQKP cmAxel Hirsch Fundåã TNPRThe Convalescent is one of JennyNyström’s most ambitious paintings,created with her hopes set on theParis Salon, where it was shown in

NUUQ. This previously unknownstudy of one of the modelling girlsprovides an excellent opportunity tofollow the development from sketchto finished work. Here, the girl’sfacial expression seems entirelyartless; although she has probablybeen instructed, her appearance hasnone of the artifice or accentuationof the completed painting.

Fig. T, see pK SQEdvard Perséus (NUQNÓNUVM)Cityscape with a Harbour. StudySigned “E. Perseus”Oil on panel, NV ñ POKO cmBequest of Edvard Perséus,executive directoråã TNPM

Fig. U, see pK SREdvard Perséus (NUQNÓNUVM)Study of a Roman BoySigned “Perséus Roma”Oil on canvas, OUKR ñ OQ cmBequest of Edvard Perséus,executive directoråã TNPN

Fig. V, see pK SREdvard Perséus (NUQNÓNUVM)Study of a Boy. ProfileSigned “Perséus Roma”Oil on panel, ORKV ñ NVKR cmBequest of Edvard Perséus,executive directoråã TNPOThese three studies by EdvardPerséus are a welcome andimportant addition to the National-museum collection. Perséus had a

Fig. P Stefan Johansson, Portrait Study of a Woman, åãÄ OSPTK

Fig. Q Carl Larsson, Portrait of Thorsten Laurin, åãÄ OSPSK


Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fundåã TNPP(See article on p. NV)

Kilian Zoll (NUNUÓNUSM)Portrait of Jonas Jonsson, Spånhult.Father of Peter Wieselgren, NUQTSigned “KCZ”Oil on canvas, NS ñ NQ cmMagda and Max Ettler Fundåã TNPVKilian Zoll’s small portrait is anappreciated addition to theNationalmuseum collection,partly as a sensitive portrait of afarmer, and also as an example ofKilian Zoll's technique which hassimilarities with miniature painting.

Fig. NN, see pK SQGunnar G:son Wennerberg(NUSPÓNVNQFOak Trees, Evening, NUVVSigned “G Wennerberg”Oil on canvas, RNKR ñ NOOKR cmTransferred from the ManillaSchoolåã TNPT

Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller(NTRNÓNUNN)Portrait of Henri Bertholet-Campan(NTUQÓNUON) as a Child, with the DogAline, NTUSSigned “A Wertmüller S[uedoise] àParis NTUS”Oil on canvas, NMM ñ UNKR cm


SP

Donated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Sophia GieseckeFund, Axel Hirsch Fund andMr Stefan Persson and Mrs DenisePerssonåã TNQN(See article on p. NT)

Fig. NM, see pK SSGunnar G:son Wennerberg(NUSPÓNVNQFAutumn Flowers, Sneezeweed andAutumn Asters, NVNMSigned “G Wennerberg”Oil on canvas, NPM ñ TM cmTransferred from the ManillaSchoolåã TNPS

strong impact on many of the artistswho would become the greatestnames among the generation whoopposed the Royal Academy of FineArts. At his school of painting, heoffered a complement, and in somerespects an alternative, to the RoyalAcademy. His summer school atGripsholm Palace is legendary,attracting students such as CarlLarsson and Eugène Jansson.

Alexander Roslin (NTNUÓNTVP)The Artist and his Wife Marie SuzanneGiroust Portraying Henrik WilhelmPeill, NTSTSigned “Roslin à Paris NTST”Oil on canvas, NPN ñ VUKR cm

Fig. R Anna Nordgren, Woman on a Train, åã TNPQK

Fig. S Jenny Nyström, The Convalescent. Study, åã TNPRK



SQ

Fig. T Edvard Perséus, Cityscape with a Harbour. Study, åã TNPMK

Fig. NN Gunnar G:son Wennerberg, Oak Trees, Evening, åã TNPTK



SR

Sculptures bySwedish artists

Fig. NO, see pK STUnknown artistDeath Mask of the Artist Ivar Arosenius(NUTUÓNVMV) with a Wreath of Flowers,NVMVPlaster and dried flowersTransferred from theNationalmuseum Archiveåãëâ OPQU

After Johan Tobias Sergel(NTQMÓNUNQ)Mrs Anna Sofia Swartz, née SkogeCast after åãëâ~î RVVåãëâ~î SRN

After Johan Tobias Sergel(NTQMÓNUNQ)General Admiral Henrik af TrolleCast after åãëâ UMTåãëâ~î SRO

After Johan Tobias Sergel(NTQMÓNUNQ)Carl Michael BellmanCast after åãëâ SPUåãëâ~î SRP

Paintings byforeign artists

Gijsbrecht Leytens(NRUSÓNSQOLRT)Wooded Mountain Landscape withWaterfall and Travellers, first half ofNTth century

David Teniers the Younger(NSNMÓNSVM)Tavern Interior with Peasant Lightinghis Pipe, NSQMsSigned “D. TENIE[RS]”Oil on wooden panel, OPKV ñ NV cmWiros Fundåã TNOR(See article on p. NN)

Jacob Toorenvliet (NSQMÓNTNV)Man Holding a Jug (The Sense ofTaste), c. NSTVOil on copper, NSKQ ñ NPKQ cmWiros Fundåã TNOS(See article on p. NN)

Signed “G. L. fec.”Oil on wooden panel,SUKQ ñ NMNKR cmWiros Fundåã TNOQ(See article on p. NN)

Fig. NP, see pK STNicolas Maes (NSPQÓNSVP)Portrait of a Woman, NSTMsOil on wooden panel,PSKU ñ PMKT cmAxel and Nora Lundgren Fundåã TNOTThis is the first painting by NicolasMaes acquired by the National-museum, and thus complements thecollection with an important artistand an excellent example of smallNTth-century portrait painting.

Fig. U Edvard Perséus, Study of a Roman Boy, åã TNPNK Fig. V Edvard Perséus, Study of a Boy. Profile, åã TNPOK


Sculptures byforeign artists

Jean-Baptiste Stouf (NTQOÓNUOS)La fidèle Amitié/The FaithfulFriendship, NTVRTerracotta, RUKR ñ PTKO ñ ORKR cmHedda and N. D. Qvist Fundåãëâ OPQT(See article on p. OT)

Icons

Unknown Russian craftsman, activeOnd half of NUth centuryRizza for åãá NSOI probably NUthcenturyCopper, PR ñ PM ñ R cmGift of Olof Aschberg NVPPåãá NSOb

Unknown Russian painterThe Resurrection (Anastasius)Tempera on panel,QPKR ñ PV ñ OKV cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POP

Unknown Greek painterDeesis, NUth centuryTempera on panel,PTKO ñ PNKN ñ OKN cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POQ

Unknown Greek painterChrist Healing a Blind, NUth centuryTempera on panel,QS ñ POKR ñ OKN cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POR

Unknown Greek painterSt George and the DragonTempera on panel,OQKV ñ OO ñ OKR cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POS

Unknown Greek painterThe Holy Panteleimon, NUth centuryTempera on panel,ORKQ ñ OMKR ñ PKM cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POT

Unknown Greek painterThe wings for a triptych depicting thefour Church Fathers and below them thesaints George and Demetrios,NUth centuryTempera on panel NWOVKT ñ NNKR ñ NKN cmTempera on panel 2:OVKS ñ NNKS ñ NKN cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POUKNI åãá POUKO

Unknown Greek painterTwo-part icon depicting the ArchangelMichael and beneath him the threeJuveniles, NUth centuryTempera on panel,QMKU ñ OTKR ñ OKT cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá POV

Unknown Greek painterTripartite icon with Simeon and Hannawith the Child, Christ’s parents andConstantin and Helena, NUth centuryTempera on panel,PNKR ñ OT ñ O cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá PPM

Unknown Greek painterWhitsun, NUth centuryTempera on panel,OMKO ñ NT ñ OKV cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá PPN

Unknown Greek painterFour Saints Standing, NUth CenturyTempera on panel,OOKR ñ NTKR ñ NKV cmBequest of Stig Johanssonåãá PPO

Unknown Greek painterThe Holy Stylianos carrying a SwaddledChild, NUth centuryTempera on panel,OTKR ñ NVKR ñ NKR cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá PPP

Unknown Greek painterDeesis, NUth centuryTempera on panel,OPKT ñ NUKT ñ NKV cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá PPQ


SS

Fig. NM Gunnar G:son Wennerberg, Autumn Flowers, Sneezeweed and AutumnAsters, åã TNPSK



ST

Unknown craftsmanRizza in the shape of a Madonnahalo and seven smaller halos,probably late NVth centurySilver-plated copper,OT ñ ONKR ñ N cmåãá PPV

Unknown craftsmanRizza in the shape of a Madonnawith aureola, probably NVth centuryGilt copper, RPKR ñ QNKR ñ RKU cmåãá PQM

Unknown craftsmanRizza belonging to St Nicholas,probably late NVth centuryCopper, possibly gilt,PM ñ OSKR ñ QKR cmåãá PQN

Miniatures bySwedish artists

Fig. NQ, see pK SUJohan Erik Bolinder (NTSUÓNUMU),copy after Giovanni Domenico Bossi(NTSTÓNURP, Italian)Vilhelmina Beck-Friis ENTTRÓNURSxNURV\z), Baroness, married to BaronVoldemar Vilhelm Wrangel von BrehmerSigned “Orig. af Bossi Cop. afBolinder”Gouache on ivory, Diam. SKR cm,metal mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPMJohan Erik Bolinder worked formany years in a style inspired by theFrench, but when GiovanniDomenico Bossi came to Sweden in

Unknown Russian painterGod’s Mother and Child Courted byVladimir the Great and Princess Olga,NUth century (panel) and ONstcentury (painting)Tempera on panel,PNKO ñ OSKR ñ OKS cmBequest of Stig Johansonåãá PPR

Unknown craftsmanRizza for unknown icon, Madonnaand ChildTextile, Pearls and Sequins,OT ñ OPKR cmåãá PPS

Unknown, possibly RussianCraftsmanRizza in the shape of a frame with asilver-plated copper arch,NUth century (?)Copper, silver plate,PN ñ OTKR ñ OKV cmåãá PPT

Unknown craftsmanRizza in the shape of Madonna withangels and various Saints, probablyNUth centurySilver-plated copper,RP ñ QP ñ NKS cmåãá PPU

Fig. NO Unknown artist, Death Mask of the Artist Ivar Arosenius (NUTUÓNVMV)with a Wreath of Flowers, åãëâ OPQUK

Fig. NP Nicolas Maes, Portrait of a Woman, åã TNOTK


NTVT, he immediately adapted tothe new manner that grew popularwith this Italian miniaturist. Theportrait of Baroness Wrangel vonBrehmer is, in fact, a copy of aminiature by Bossi.

Leonhard Örnbeck (NTPSÓNTUV)Gustav III (NTQSÓNTVO), King ofSwedenWatercolour and gouache on ivory,e VKO cm, gilt metal and silvermountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSOS

Miniatures byforeign artists

Louis-Ami Arlaud-Jurine(NTRNÓNUOV)SwissFanny Uginet, married Mercier(NTVSÓNUOU)Signed “Arlaud”Watercolour on ivory, TKS ñ SKR cm,

frame of gilt wood, pastiglia,NUKR ñ NTKP ñ QKR cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSQMLouis-Ami Arlaud-Jurine belongedto the famous Arlaud family ofclockmakers and miniaturists inGeneva. His portraits are distin-guished by their exquisite, highquality. He was active in Londonbetween NTVO and NUMM, but thenreturned to his native country. Thisportrait of the young Fanny Uginetis from the latter period in theartist’s career. He has not previouslybeen represented in the collection.

Fig. NRGiovanni Domenico Bossi(NTSTÓNURP)Italian, active in SwedenMathias Rosenblad (NTRUÓNUQT),Baron and Count, Minister of Justice,married to Charlotta Maria Toutin,NUMNSigned “D. Bossi Pinxit”Miniature, Diam. RKR cm, goldmounting

Hjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPPGiovanni Domenico Bossi, born inTrieste, is one of the best examplesof a migrant artist who becamesomething of a trendsetter. Hisminiature portraits were hugelysuccessful wherever he worked, beit Munich, Hamburg, Copenhagen,Stockholm or St Petersburg. Themodel, Mathias Rosenblad, was aprosperous government officialwho deftly navigated the turbulenceof the early NVth century andeventually became famous as askilful lawyer and politicalopportunist.

Anonymous artist, possibly RichardCosway (NTQOÓNUON) or his mannerEnglishEye Miniature, Ann Fryer (born probablyNTSUFI NTUTWatercolour on ivory, PKU ñ OKN cm,gold mounting with pearls, R ñ P cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPV

The Nationalmuseum’s richcollection of miniature portraitshas previously been sadly lacking ineye miniatures, a genre that grewpopular in England in the NTUMs.Deeply personal in nature, eyeminiatures are alternatelysentimental and erotic. Nothingis known about the young AnnFryer, who died aged NV, andwhose eye has been immortalisedby an unknown artist. In style, itresembles that of Robert Cosway,who created the first example ofeye miniature, the eye of MsFitzherbert, commissioned by herroyal lover, Prince Regent George[IV].

Mauro Gandolfi (NTSQÓNUPQ)ItalianAllegory of the Ages of ManGraphite and watercolour onvellum, Diam. UKQ cm, giltwoodframe, NO ñ NO ñ NKR cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPU


SU

Fig. NQ Johan Erik Bolinder, copy after Giovanni Domenico Bossi,Vilhelmina Beck-Friis ENTTRÓNURS xNURV\z), Baroness, married to Baron VoldemarVilhelm Wrangel von Brehmer, åãÄ OSPMK

Fig. NR Giovanni Domenico Bossi, Mathias Rosenblad (NTRUÓNUQT), Baron andCount, Minister of Justice, married to Charlotta Maria Toutin, åãÄ OSPPK



SV

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard(NTQVÓNUMP)FrenchMadame Lefranc Painting a Portrait ofher Husband Charles Lefranc, NTTVSigned “Labille Guiard NTTV”Watercolour and gouache on ivory,Diam. SKS cm, ormolu mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSOR(See article on p. PT)

Jacques-Claude Le Masne (activeearly NVth century)FrenchSelf -portrait, NUPSSigned “Le Masne NUPS”Watercolour and gouache,NOKT ñ NN cm, giltwood frame,OQ ñ OO cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSOUJacques-Claude Le Masne is notone of the best-known Frenchminiaturists, but his self-portrait isespecially intriguing, since it alsooffers a lesson in the techniquesand utensils of miniature painting.

Frédéric Millet (NTUSÓNURV)FrenchUnknown WomanWatercolour on ivory, VKO ñ TKR cm,black lacquered wood frame, brassmounting, NRKN ñ NOKS ñ NKN cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSQOFrédéric Millet was one of Isabey’smost successful students and adominating name in the first half ofthe NVth century in France. Withbroad soft brush strokes, forming apointillé, he exquisitely rendereddifferent textures and materials,as in this portrait of an unknownwoman. He started a schoolexclusively for women miniaturists,but none of his students are known.He was not previously representedin the collection.

Andrew Robertson (NTTOÓNUQR)ScottishJenny Robertson, the Artist’s WifeWatercolour on ivory,NMKR ñ UKP cm, dark glazed woodframe, ON ñ NRKS cmHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSQNAndrew Robertson is considered

one of the foremost modernisers ofBritish miniature painting in thefirst half of the NVth century, andalso had a profound influence onSir William Charles Ross andFrederick Cruickshank as theirteacher. In this portrait of hisfirst wife, Jenny, he has usedthe rectangular format herecommended. She poses gracefullyand the artist has enhanced theeffect with realistic shadows.

Fig. NSPierre-Joseph Sauvage, known asPiat-Joseph Sauvage (NTQQÓNUNU)FrenchRing with a Miniature in Camaïeu,Allegory in Memory of the Storming ofthe Tuileries on NM August, NTVOWatercolour and gouache on ivory,gold ringHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPRPiat-Joseph Sauvage belonged to ageneration of popular Frenchminiaturists who appeared in thedecades before the FrenchRevolution. He specialised in emu-lating cameo-like bas-reliefs with anillusory grisaille technique. In NTUP,Sauvage was accepted into theAcadèmie royale in Paris, and wasconsequently available for commis-sions from Louis XVI and thePrince of Condé. During theRevolution he was an officer of theNational Guard. This explains thechoice of motif for the ring minia-ture, an allegory on the storming ofthe Tuileries on NM August, NTVO,where the National Guard played apart.

Fig. NTI see pK TMCarl Gottlob Schmeidler(NTTOÓNUPU)GermanUnknown Woman in a LandscapeSigned “Schmeidler”Gouache on ivory, NNKR ñ NM cm,metal mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSOVCarl Gottlob Schmeidler fromSilesia was one of the finest minia-turists in German-speaking Europein the early NVth century. Thisfemale portrait is typical ofSchmeidler’s pointillism combined

with soft contours. Another charac-teristic feature of this artist is hisstrong colours.

Fig. NUI see pK TMLouise Vaillant, married N. Besnard,OK Giraud (NUNSÓNUTV)FrenchUnknown Woman, c. NURMSigned “Mme Besnard”Watercolour and gouache on ivory,RKP ñ QKP cm, base metal mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPQLouise Besnard, née Vaillant, is oneof the many successful women

miniaturists in NVth-century France,who eventually dominated themarket. She studied for one of thegreatest miniaturists of all – Mmede Mirbel. She has not formerlybeen represented in the collection.

Friedrich Weise (born c. NTTR, stillactive in NUOO), attributed toGermanMagdalena Ulrica Falkenberg afTrystorp (NTUQÓNUQR), Baroness,married to NKMajor Alef HermanAnrep, O. Councilor of War GustafDahlfelt, NUNQ ENUNM\FSigned “Weise Berlin NUNQÒ ENUNM\F

Fig. NS Pierre-Joseph Sauvage, known as Piat-Joseph Sauvage, Ring with aMiniature in Camaïeu, Allegory in Memory of the Storming of the Tuileries on NMAugust, NTVOI åãÄ OSPRK


Watercolour and gouache on ivory,RKRI ñ QKR cm, blackened woodframe, brass mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPOCounter piece of åãÄ OSPN(Anonymous artist, Carl GustafDahlfelt).

Anonymous artistCarl Gustaf Dahlfelt (NTUNÓNURM),Councillor of War, married to BaronessMagdalena Ulrica Falkenberg afTrystorpWatercolour and gouache on ivory,RKRI ñ QKR cm, blackened woodframe, brass mountingHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÄ OSPNCompanion piece of åãÄ OSPO(Friedrich Weise, Magdalena UlricaFalkenberg af Trystorp).

Pastels byforeign artists

Élisabeth Louise Vigée-Lebrun(NTRRÓNUQO)FrenchAssumed Portrait of the Artist’sDaughter Louise Lebrun (NTUMÓNUNV),S January, NTUOSigned “Louise Lebrun pinx.S janvier NTUO”Pastel on paper, relined on canvas,OVKR ñ OQ cm, giltwood frameUlf Lundahl Memorial FundåãÄ OSOT

Drawings byforeign artists

Fig. NVI see pK TNMatthäus Merian the Younger(NSONÓNSUT)Switzerland/GermanyPortrait of Adolf Herman Wrangel afLindeberg (NSOUÓNSRS)Black chalk on vellum, RM ñ OS cmInscriptions: Math: Merian Junior /fecit Ao NSQV [inscription by ErikWrangel af Lindeberg in black chalkbelow left]; Imago Dni BaronisAdolphi / Hermanni Wrangel avimei / carissimi. / E:Wrangel[inscription by Erik Wrangel afLindeberg in black chalk à tergotop]Lundahl Memorial FundåãÜ NLOMNP

In the Skokloster collections is apainted portrait (oil on canvas,NPN ñ NMSKR cm; inv. Sko TMN)traditionally thought to representAdolf Herman Wrangel. This iscorroborated by the recentlyacquired portrait drawing ofWrangel aged ON. The Skoklosterpainting is one of circa QM portraitsof military men who participated inthe Thirty Years’ War, executed byMerian and his studio sometimebetween the late NSQMs and ‘SMs,and today in the Skoklostercollections. Fourteen of theseportraits are signed by the master.The majority are associated with thenever-completed publishing project,“Schwedisches Heldenbuch,” alarge volume of engraved portraits,accompanied by biographies of themilitary heroes of the war. Initiated


TM

Fig. NU Louise Vaillant, married N. Besnard, OK Giraud, Unknown Woman,åãÄ OSPQK

Fig. NT Carl Gottlob Schmeidler, Unknown Woman in a Landscape, åãÄ OSOVK


by Carl Gustaf Wrangel, the volumewas to be printed by Merian’spublishing company in Frankfurt.The newly acquired portraitdrawing could be a study for oneof the planned engravings to beincluded in the “SchwedischesHeldenbuch.” The painted portraitis reversed compared to the drawingand differs somewhat in pose andcostume.

Ceramics

Fig. OMI see pK TOTerrace urnFaienceUnknown, probably Delft,Netherlands NSRMÓNTMMe RRI a QSKRI t SM cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ OLOMNPThis urn originally adorned theterrace of Rosersberg Palace.When the landscape architectAndré Mollet modernised the parkaround NSST, a delivery was madefrom Amsterdam, which probablyincluded the urn.

PlateSunnuntaiEarthenwareBirger Kaipiainen (NVNRÓNVUU)Produced by Arabia, FinlandNVTNÓNVTQe PKVI i ONKQI t NVKO cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NOLOMNP

PlateSunnuntaiEarthenwareBirger Kaipiainen (NVNRÓNVUU)Produced by Arabia, FinlandNVTNÓNVTQe OKUI i OMKSI t NVKO cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NPLOMNP

BowlSunnuntaiEarthenwareBirger Kaipiainen (NVNRÓNVUU)Produced by Arabia, FinlandNVTNÓNVTQe RKPI i NTKPI t NS cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NQLOMNP


TN

Fig. NV Matthäus Merian the Younger, Portrait of Adolf Herman Wrangel af Lindeberg (NSOUÓNSRS), åãÜ NLOMNPK


DishEarthenwareProduced by Marieberg, c. NTTMe QI i PPI t OR cmAxel Hirsch Fundåãâ PQLOMNP

DishEarthenwareUnknown, United Kingdom c. NTTMe QKRI i QTKRI t PPKR cmAxel Hirsch Fundåãâ PRLOMNP

TureenEarthenwareUnknown, United Kingdom c. NTQMe NQKRI i PQI t OU cmAxel Hirsch Fundåãâ PSLOMNP

VaseVridning (Twisting)StonewareMarie Beckman (b. NVSMFI OMNPe RNI Diam. NT cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ PVLOMNP

Glaze testsStoneware, glazedBerndt Friberg (NUVVÓNVUN)Produced by GustavsbergsPorslinsfabrik, NVRMsH V, Diam. PKS cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ RS~ÓèLOMNP

Sculpture, Self-PortraitStonewareTyra Lundgren (NUVTÓNVTVFI NVPPArabia, Finlande ONI i NVKRI t NSKR cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ SVLOMNP

DishesEarthenwareProduced by GustavsbergsPorslinsfabrik, NUUMe QKR, Diam. PU cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NQUÓNQVLOMNP


TO

BowlKnoppande stil (Budding Style)StonewareAxel Salto (NUUVÓNVSNFI NVROProduced by Royal Copenhagen,DenmarkH UKP, Diam. NMKP cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NRLOMNP

SculptureStonewareHarald Salomon (NVMMÓNVVM)e NQ, Diam. VKRI i VKR cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NVLOMNP

Tea caddyEarthenwareStig Lindberg (NVNSÓNVUO)Produced by GustavsbergsPorslinsfabrik, NVRMsH NU, Diam. QKSI i NPKT cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ OQLOMNP

Flower potsPorcelainBertil Vallien (b. NVPU)Produced by Rörstrand, NVTMsDiam. NVKRI i NQKT cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ ORÓOSLOMNP

Fig. ONTeapotEarthenwareJacob Örn (NTPNÓNTVV)Produced by Rörstrand, NTTMse NRI i NVKRI t NMKR cmAxel Hirsch Fundåãâ PPLOMNPJacob Örn (aka Öhrn) was a faiencepainter who worked as a supervisorat Rörstrand from around NTSP.During his period as supervisorin the NTTMs, earthenware wasbecoming more popular thanfaience on the Swedish market.This teapot is inscribed with Örn’ssignature.

Fig. OM Terrace urn, åãâ OLOMNPK Fig. ON Jacob Örn, Teapot, åãâ PPLOMNPK



TP

DishesPorcelainHugo Tryggelin (1846-1925)Produced by RörstrandsPorslinsfabrik, 1882H 7.5, Diam. 51 cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationNMK 169-170/2013

Glass

BroochGlass, silverMona Morales-Schildt (NVMUÓNVVV)Produced by Kosta Glassworks, NVSOe NKRI i SI t PKU cmWeber Foundationåãâ RVLOMNP

PendantGlass, silverMona Morales-Schildt (NVMUÓNVVV)Produced by Kosta Glassworks, NVSOe MKSI i SKRI t P cmWeber Foundationåãâ SMLOMNP

LampsSaturnus (Saturn)Glass, metalUnknown, Sweden NVPMsH TR, Diam. TR cmJ. H. Scharp Foundationåãâ SNÓSOLOMNP

DecanterKremlin BellsGlassKaj Franck (NVNNÓNVUVFI NVRTProduced by Notsjö Glassworks,FinlandH PRKR, Diam. NQKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ SSLOMNP

Fig. OOVaseBulb IVGlassAnn Wåhlström (b. NVRTFI OMNOe TMI t PP cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ TMLOMNPAnn Wåhlström was recognisedalready in NVVV for her tall, thinso-called bubble vases, which she Fig. OO Ann Wåhlström, Vase Bulb IV, åãâ TMLOMNPK



TQ

designed for Kosta Boda. This vasewas featured in the “Threads”exhibition in OMNP, together withseveral other vases. It is hand-blownat the Museum of Glass inTacoma, where Ann Wåhlström waspreviously an artist in residence.

Drinking glasses, S glasses in theoriginal packageGlass, paperBengt Edenfalk (b. NVOQ)Produced by Skruf Glassworks, NVSUe TI _ OOKRI a PM cmDonated by Ulla and Lars Fromåãâ VOLOMNP

Drinking glassesGlassBengt Edenfalk (b. NVOQ)Produced by Skruf Glassworks, NVSUe NPKRI Diam. RKR cmDonated by Ulla and Lars Fromåãâ VP~ÓÄLOMNP

GlassGlassBengt Edenfalk (b. NVOQ)Produced by Skruf Glassworks, NVSUe UI Diam. PKR cmDonated by Ulla and Lars Fromåãâ VQ~ÓÄLOMNP

Set of glassesService No QMGlassSven Erik Skawonius (NVMUÓNVUN)Produced by Kosta Glassworks, NVPQDonated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NRRÓNSNLOMNP

Boxes for refrigeratorGlassGöte Augustsson (b. NVNTFProduced by Ruda Glassworks,NVQMÓNVSMDonated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NSS~ÓÑLOMNP

Fig. OPCollection of everyday storage glassGlassProduced in Sweden, NVPMÓNVRMBarbro Osher Fundåãâ OMTÓOPPLOMNPEveryday OMth-century objects, oftenanonymously designed, say a greatdeal about the attitude to hygieneand machine aesthetics and alsoreveal the optimism of the era.Mass-production of practicalproducts requires careful design.Rational product design andrational production resulted inshapes that radiate efficiency andmodernity. As hygiene requirementsbecame more rigorous in the NVOMs,manufacturing increased rapidly.To facilitate hygienic storage anduse the relatively small refrigeratorspace efficiently, Electroluxlaunched special glass storagecontainers for food in theiradvertising brochure for NVPM.

Jars with lids, where the lids werenot too airtight. Initially onlysupplied with the luxury models,the jars were soon supplied with allrefrigerator types. Electrolux’s glassjars were designed in collaborationwith Eda glassworks and were latermodified at Limmareds glassworks.In Germany, the designer WilhelmWagenfelt was inspired to create theglass series Kubus in NVPU.

Gold and silver

Fig. OQI see p. TRCipher for a First Lady of the CourtSilver, gold, enamel, diamonds,pearls, silkUnknown, Stockholm NUTOÓNVNPe RKUI _ PI a NKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NLOMNPA cipher is worn by a lady inservice at the court. It serves asidentification and guidance toothers, and showed which memberof the royal family the lady workedfor. This cipher belonged toCountess Elisabet Sofia LovisaCharlotte Wachtmeister afJohannishus (NUPQÓNVNU),first lady of the court of QueenSofia (NUPSÓNVNP). It is anexcellent piece of workmanship,incorporating symbolic andhistorical references. From thelate-NVth century to the early NVTMs,the cipher was mounted on aseraphim-blue silk rosette.

Fig. ORI see p. TRButter dish with lid and underplateSilver, partly gildedSimson Ryberg (NTQNÓNUMT),Stockholm NTVQe VKUI t NRKU cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ VLOMNPThis is a silver version of a woodenstaved vessel. Transforming rusticobjects into accessories for the richman's table was a popular way ofplaying with boundaries in theNUth century. It also represents aform of recycling that was popularamong noblewomen. Silver from

Fig. OP Collection of everyday storage glass, produced in Sweden, åãâ ONQÓONTLOMNPK


old dresses and uniforms wassalvaged and used to make newobjects.

BeakerSilverErik Wallenius (d. NTQO),Stockholm NTQMe VI t TKT cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NSLOMNP

BeakerSilverLorens Stabeus (d. NTTU),Stockholm NTQVe NRKRI t NOKO cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NTLOMNP

Cream jugSilverUnknown, Stockholm NUNNe NNKRI i NQKQI t SKS cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NULOMNP

Sugar bowlSilver, glassHenry Chawner (NTSQÓNURN),London NTUTÓNTUUe NSI i NQI t NMKP cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ OMLOMNP

Sugar bowlSilver, glassThomas Chawner (NTPQÓNUMOLNN),London NTURÓNTUSe NOI i NTKRI t UKR cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ ONLOMNP

Pair of sugar tongsSilverOlof Hellbom (NTRUÓNUNU),Stockholm NUNOi NQKRI t OKN cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ OOLOMNP

SpoonsSilverUnknown. Produced by A. DragstedA/S, Denmark NVNPi OOI t RKO cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ OP~ÓÄLOMNP


TR

Fig. OQ Cipher for a First Lady of the Court, åãâ NLOMNPK

Fig. OR Simson Ryberg, Butter dish with lid and underplate, åãâ VLOMNPK


JugNästa gång blir jag ett träd (NextTime I Will Be a Tree)SilverPetronella Eriksson (b. NVSV),Stockholm OMNPe OOKRI i NUI t OQ cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ QNLOMNP(See article on p. QT)

BowlSilver, black woodSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPSe NNI t NQKU cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ TPLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

BrushSilver, plastic (Isolit)Wilhelmina Wendt (NUVSÓNVUUFINVPRProblably produced by Perstorp ABH UI i VI t MIT cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ TQLOMNP(See article on p. QT)

CandlesticksSilver, black woodKitty von Otter (NVNM–NVVN)Produced by GAB,Guldsmedsaktiebolaget, StockholmNVPTe TI t NN cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ TR~ÓÄLOMNP(See article on p. QT)

Fig. OSCandlesticksSilverHakon Ahlberg (NUVNÓNVUQ)Produced by C. G. Hallberg,Stockholm NVPMe ONI i VKPI t VKP cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ TS~ÓÄLOMNPHakon Ahlberg was one of Sweden’sfirst functionalist architects. Hisworks are characterised by terse,rational simplicity. These candle-sticks were presented at theStockholm Exhibition in NVPM,where Functionalism was launchedon a broad scale. The design stillshows traces of NVOMs taste.

CandlestickSilverDan Göran Gustavsson (b. NVQSFINVTVe QKRI i RKOI t R cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ TVLOMNP

Flower standSilver, glassProduced by Firma GustafMöllenborg, Stockholm NUTOe QMI t ORKU cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UMLOMNP


TS

Fig. OS Hakon Ahlberg, Candlesticks, åãâ TS~ÓÄLOMNPK Fig. OT Christian Hammer, Ewer, åãâ UNLOMNPK


Fig. OTI see p. TSEwerSilverChristian Hammer (NUNUÓNVMR),Stockholm NUSRe OVI i OOKRI t NQKR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UNLOMNPIn NUSQ, the Manillaskolan Schoolmoved into new premises designedby the architect Johan AdolfHawerman on Djurgården inStockholm. The school, whichwas started in NUNT, was run on avoluntary basis. A new law in NUUVmade schooling compulsory for thedeaf. It was a boarding school, andincluded many facilities for life inthe rural settings. Boarding ceasedin NVTV. The communion silver isfrom the school's chapel. It wasmanufactured and donated toManillaskolan in connection withthe inauguration of the new build-ing. In OMNP, the school moved tosmaller premises in Stockholm, andthe Nationalmuseum was able tochoose objects from the school’sinventory, including the commu-nion silver (see also åãâ TTÓVNLOMNPI åãÖêÜ QVNUÓQVOMIåã TNPSÓTNPTFK

ChaliceSilverPehr Fredrik Palmgren(NUOMÓNUTU), Stockholm NUSRe OOI t NOKP cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UOLOMNP

PatenSilverUnknown, Stockholm NUSRe MKRI t NQKO cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UPLOMNP

Wafer boxSilverChristian Hammer (NUNUÓNVMR),Stockholm NUSRe TKRI t NMKO cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ URLOMNP

VaseSilverChristian Fredrik Heise, DenmarkNVNSe OOKSI t NP cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ USLOMNP

Writing setSilver, glassGustaf Möllenborg, StockholmNUPPe OVI i OOKRI t NQKR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UTLOMNP

CandlesticksSilverG. Th. Folcker (NUNNÓNUTT),Stockholm NUTQe ORKRI t NR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UV~ÓÄLOMNP

Fruit knifeSilverGustaf Möllenborg, StockholmNUQQe MKUI i ONKRI t OKO cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ VMLOMNP

Plate warmerSilverRudolf Wittkopf, Stockholm NTMVe NOI t OM cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ NMOLOMNP(See article on p. PV)

Fig. OUFrameSilver, enamelProduced by Firma W. A. Bolin,Stockholm NVNVe NOKRI t VKU cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ NMPLOMNPThis frame is an example of theluxury range introduced by FirmaW. A. Bolin on the Swedish marketin NVNS, around the time of theFirst World War and the RussianRevolution. The same year, thejewellery company also establisheditself in Stockholm. Firma W. A.

TeapotSilver, black woodSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPSe NPKRI i OMI t NQ cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ OQMLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

JugDelbart objekt som påminner om enkanna (Divisible Object Reminiscentof a Jug)SilverMagnus Liljedahl (b. NVTR),Stockholm OMNPe OMI i NOI t TKS cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ OQTLOMNP(See article on p. QT)

Bolin had been one of the leadingjewellers in Russia since the mid-NUMMs, enjoying large commissionsfrom the Russian court. The frameis influenced by the Russian rangewhich the Bolin family produced inSt Petersburg and Moscow, and alsoresembles Fabergé’s frames.

BowlA Body of WorkSilverÅsa Lockner (b. NVTP), StockholmOMNNe VI i PNI t PN cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ NTNLOMNP(See article on p. QT)


TT

Fig. OU Frame, produced by Firma W. A. Bolin, åãâ NMPLOMNPK


BowlAzur (Azure)SilverCaroline Lindholm (b. NVSU),Stockholm OMNOe VI t NRKP cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ OQULOMNP

Clocks and watches

Fig. OVTable clockGilt woodLe MatelotCase: Unknown. Clock: PeterHenrik Beurling (NTRUÓNUMS),Stockholm NUNMÓNUOMe PSKRI i PNI t NMKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ PTLOMNP

The clock complements theMuseum’s collection, whichpreviously lacked examples wherethe gilt bronze was replaced with giltwood. This type of clock ismodelled on French table clocks.The original inspiration for thisparticular piece, called “Le Matelot”,was a drawing signed Michel anddated August NUMU, now in theBibliotèque Nationale in Paris.

Base metal

Fig. PMI see pK TVFloor candelabraCast ironHarald Wadsjö (NUUPÓNVQR)Produced by Näfveqvarns bruk,c. NVORe NUPI i RUI t QU cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ TÓULOMNPCast iron, with its references toindustrial technology andmodernity, was a highly popularmaterial in the NVOMs. Inarchitecture, for instance, castiron could be used to createslender, elegant structures. Thefascination for the material alsoinfluenced design, as seen here inHarald Wadsjö’s man-sized floorcandelabra, which adorned theSwedish Pavilion in Paris in NVOR.

Service; teapot, coffee pot, creamjug, sugar bowlSilver plate, teakUnknown. Produced by ABStjernkvist metallfabrik, NVPMsCoffee pot: e NTI i NVI t NNKO cmDonated by Count Fredrik Posseåãâ OUÓPNLOMNP

Service; coffee pot, cream jug,sugar bowlSilver plateUnknown. Produced by ABStjernkvist metallfabrik, NVPMsCoffee pot: e ONKRI i OQI t NNKR cmDonated by Count Fredrik Posseåãâ QOÓQQLOMNP

Hand MirrorPewterProduced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVOMÓNVPMsH OI i QNI t NOKR cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ RPLOMNP

Candle sticksPewterSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQFI NVPPProduced by C. G. Hallberg,StockholmH SKOI t NP cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ RQ~ÓÄLOMNP(See article on p. QP)


TU

Fig. OV Table clock, Case: unknown, Clock: Peter Henrik Beurling, åãâ PTLOMNPK


VasePewterSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQFI NVPSProduced by C. G. Hallberg,StockholmH SKO, Diam. NP cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ RRLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

Dressing table setPewterEstrid Ericson (NUVQÓNVUN)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVPMsWeber Foundationåãâ RT~ÓÅLOMNP

Box with lidPewterBjörn Trägårdh (NVMUÓNVVU)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVPSe NOI t UKR cmWeber Foundationåãâ RULOMNP

Fig. PNI see p. UMReliefsCopperAnna Petrus (NUUSÓNVQV)Produced by Ragnar MyrsmedenENUUVÓNVUVFI NVOUBarbro Osher Fundåãâ SPÓSQLOMNPTwo of four reliefs created by AnnaPetrus for the First-Class Library onthe liner M/S Kungsholm in NVOU.The motif was the four elements,but the reliefs were probably neverinstalled as intended. MSKungsholm was one of the mostambitious interior decoratingprojects in Sweden in the NVOMs,incorporating the best of theSwedish arts and crafts industry insalons designed by the architectCarl Bergsten. The interiors weredestroyed during the SecondWorld War, however, when the shipwas confiscated by the Americangovernment and used for armytroop transportation.

Service; coffee pot, cream jug,sugar bowlPewter, brassNils Fougstedt (NVNMÓNVSN)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVOR


TV

Fig. PM Harald Wadsjö, Floor candelabras, åãâ TÓULOMNPK


Coffee pot: e NPI i OPKOI t VKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ SR~ÓÅLOMNP

Tobacco jarPewterTage Fougstedt (NUVMÓNVRVFI NVOPe NRI Diam. NO cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ STLOMNP

Box with lidPewter, textileSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQFI NVPQProduced by C. G. Hallberg,StockholmH QKRI Diam. NQKS cmPeter and Malin Beijer Foundationåãâ SULOMNP(See article on p. QP)

FontSilver plateProduced by C. A. KjernåsNysilverfabrik, Göteborg c. NUSRe QKRI t OTKS cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ UQLOMNP

Flower-StandSilver plateUnknown, Stockholm c. NVMMe OTKRI i QMI t OO cm Transferredfrom Manillaskolan, Stockholmåãâ UULOMNP

CandlesticksPewter, brassProduced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm, NVOVe OO, Diam NOKR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ VN ~JÄLOMNP

Fig. POI see p. UNMirrorsCopper, gildedUnknown, Northern EuropeNSMMÓNSRMe PUI t PQ cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ NMRÓNMSLOMNPThis mirror with the coat ofarms of the De la Gardie’s wascommissioned by a member of thefamily. This was one of the most


UM

Fig. PN Anna Petrus, Reliefs, åãâ SPÓSQLOMNPK


influential aristocratic families whenSweden was a great power, andplayed a crucial part in intro-ducing the latest fashions in artand interior decorating. Themirrors were made in NorthernEurope and replicate a Frenchmodel. A similar mirror wasdonated to the Nationalmuseum inNVTP by the De la Gardie familyEåãâ OMLNVTPFK

BadgesSteel, etched, giltUnknown, Sweden NUUMÓNVMM_ SKN ÅãI i NMKUDonated by Carl Johan Lammåãâ NMTÓNMULOMNP

Mirror plateauSilvered brass, glassUnknown, Stockholm NUMMÓNUORTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPPLOMNP

Fig. PPI see p. UOMirror plateau in three partsOrmolu, glassUnknown, France NUNMÓNUPMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPQLOMNPThis mirror plateau was used forentertaining guests at theUtrikesministerhotellet (ForeignMinister Hotel) at Blasieholmstorguntil it was evacuated in the earlyNVSMs. It is unusually small andwas probably used for dinners withfewer guests.

Fig. PQI see p. UOMirror plateauOrmolu, glassUnknown, probably France c. NUSMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPRLOMNPThis large, oval plateau is themiddle section of a three-part

UrnPewterRolf Engströmer (NUUOÓNVTMFINVPQProduced by FabriksaktiebolagetKronsilverH PNKRI _ NRKRI i NT cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NRMLOMNP

CandlesticksPewterEdvin Ollers (NUUUÓNVRVFI NVPSProduced by Schreuder and Olsson,StockholmH OM, Diam. NN cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NRN~ÓÄLOMNP

centrepiece which includes tworound plateaux (åãâ NPSÓNPTLOMNPF. They were all used forentertaining guests at the Ministryfor Foreign Affairs.

Mirror plateauOrmolu, glassUnknown, probably France c. NUSMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPSLOMNP

Mirror plateauOrmolu, glassUnknown, probably France c. NUSMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPTLOMNP

Wall sconcesGilt metal, glassUnknown, probably France c. NUSMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPU~ÓÄLOMNP


UN

Fig. PO Mirrors, åãâ NMRÓNMSLOMNPK


Writing setPewterSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPRe QKRI i PNI t NUKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NRO~ÓÅLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

CandlesticksPewterSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPQ

e RKRI i UKRI t UKR cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NRP~ÓÄLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

VasePewterSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPPe NTI i NRKRI t Q cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NRQLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

Ice bucketCork, metalSigne Persson-Melin (b. NVOR)Produced by Boda Nova, NVTNe OQI Diam. NV cmDonated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NSOLOMNP

Coffee potMamsell (Mademoiselle)Stainless steel, plasticSigurd Persson (NVNQÓOMMP)Produced by AB Silver and Stål,NVSPe OOI i OMI t NR cm

Donated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NSPLOMNP

Coffee potsStainless steel, plasticBernadotte&Björn: SigvardBernadotte (NVMTÓOMMO)Produced by Moderna Kök,Stockholm, NVRRe NVKRI i NVI t NSKR cmDonated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NSQÓNSRLOMNP


UO

Fig. PP Mirror plateau in three parts, åãâ NPQLOMNPKFig. PQ Mirror plateau, åãâ NPRLOMNPK


Cutlery in original packageStainless steel, plasticNils Nisbel (b. 1932)Produced by GAB, Stockholm 1957Donated by Anders Reihnéråãâ NST~ÓáLOMNP

A collection of objects by SylviaStaveSilver plateSylvia Stave (NVMUÓNVVQ)Produced by C. G. Hallbergs,Stockholm NVPMÓNVPQBarbro Osher Fundåãâ NTOÓOMQLOMNP(See article on p. QP)

CandlesticksSilver plateRolf Engströmer (NUUOÓNVTMFINVPMsProduced by FabriksaktiebolagetKronsilver, StockholmH NSKTI i VKQI t VKQ cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ OMR~ÓÄLOMNP

Cocktail shakerSilver plateFolke Arström (NVMTÓNVVT)Produced by GAB, Stockholm NVPMsH NSKTI i VKQI t VKQ cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ OMSLOMNP

Pot on standCast ironJens H Quistgaard (NVNVÓOMMU)Produced by De förenadeJernstöberier, Denmark NVRQe NUI i OUI t OUKR cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ OPQLOMNP

Writing setPewter, brassBjörn Trägårdh (NVMUÓNVVU)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVOUÓOVBarbro Osher Fundåãâ OQN~ÓÅLOMNP

MirrorPewter, glassBjörn Trägårdh (NVMUÓNVVU)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVPMÓPQBarbro Osher Fundåãâ OQOLOMNP


UP

Fig. PR Axel Einar Hjorth, Chairs Lovö, åãâ QÓRLOMNPK

Fig. PS Axel Einar Hjorth, Bookshelf Lovö, åãâ SLOMNPK


TraySilver plateRolf Engströmer (NUVOÓNVTM)Produced by FabriksaktiebolagetKronsilver, Stockholm NVPMBarbro Osher Fundåãâ OQPLOMNP

DishPewterBjörn Trägårdh (NVMUÓNVVU)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm NVOUÓNVOV


UQ

Anna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ OQQLOMNP

Furniture

Fig. PRI see p. UPChairsLovöPine, iron, cottonAxel Einar Hjorth (NUUUÓNVRVFINVPO

Produced by Nordiska KompanietAB, NVPMsH UMI t RO cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ QÓRLOMNPHealth and fitness were high on theagenda in NVPMs Europe, and whenstatutory vacation was introducedin NVPU, this increased the demandfor holiday cottages also among thelower classes. NK’s sports cabinfurniture was made of more humblematerials, such as acid-stained pine,

and often had names associatedwith the Stockholm archipelagoand lake Mälaren, like Sandhamn,Blidö, Torö and Lovö.

Fig. PSI see p. UPBookshelfLovöPine, iron, cottonAxel Einar Hjorth (NUUUÓNVRVFINVPOProduced by Nordiska KompanietAB, NVPMsH NNMI i NURI t PS cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ SLOMNPThe sports cabin furniturecombined Axel Einar Hjorth’ssimple, modernist style withSwedish rural traditions, to createa unique, almost primitive,modernism. The distinctly-revealedconstruction and hand-forged nailsenhance the link to furnituretraditions from old times andsimple backgrounds.

ArmchairWood, leatherArne Norell (NVNTÓNVTN)Produced by Möbel AB Arne NorellH TNKRI i SUI t SS cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ OTLOMNP

LoungerIron, cottonGustaf Clason (NUVPÓNVSQFI NVPMProduced by Stockholms NyaJärnsängsfabrikH VOI a NMMI t SO cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ POLOMNP

ChairDSXSteel, plastic, fabricCharles Eames (NVMTÓNVTU) andRay Eames (NVNOÓNVUUFI NVQUProduced by Nordiska Kompaniet,Stockholm NVSNFrom the Nationalmuseumauditoriumåãâ PULOMNP

Fig. PT Ron Arad, Chair Rover Chair, åãâ TOLOMNPK


TableQuadernaWood, laminateSuperstudioProduced by Zanottae TOI i NNMI t NNM cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ TNLOMNP

Fig. PTI see p. UQChairRover ChairMetal, leatherRon Arad (b. 1951), 1981Produced by One OffH TRI i VMI t SR cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ TOLOMNPRover Chair was the first piece madeby the English industrial designerRon Arad. It combined two existingparts, a car seat and a tube frame, ina so-called ready-made. The car seatis from a Rover OMM, and the seatsfor Arad’s fusions were purchasedfrom scrap yards and mounted onframes by Kee Klamp, a systemdesigned in NVPQ for scaffolding.

ChairWood, fabricUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMe NNSI i TOI t SO cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ TULOMNP

ChairGilt wood, fabricAttributed to Carl Hårleman(NTMMÓNTRP)Probably produced by LorentzNordin (NTMUÓNTUS), Stockholmc. NTRQe NMNI i RSI t TM cmBarbro Osher Fundåãâ NMQLOMNP(See article on p. QN)

SofaGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUPMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NMVLOMNP

Fig. PUI see p. USArmchairsGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUPM

Transferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNMÓNNPLOMNPChair from a drawing room suite(åãâ NMVÓNNRLOMNPF originallydesigned for the Utrikesminister-hotellet (Foreign Ministers Hotel)at Blasieholmstorg. The suite is anunusual example of Swedish Empirestyle, being entirely gilt. The nearestparallel is the furniture of thelantern room at Rosendal Palace.The original upholstery is Frenchsilk damask of the same kind as theRosendal furniture. The satin wallcoverings are preserved in the roomwhere the chairs originally stood.The premises are now used by theRoyal Academy of Music. Thefurniture has been in storage sincethe Foreign Ministers Hotel movedout in the NVSMs.

BanquetteGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUPMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNQLOMNP

MirrorGilt woodUnknown, Stockholm c. NUPMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNRLOMNP

SofaGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNSLOMNP

SofaGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNTLOMNP

Fig. PVI see p. USArmchairs and chairsGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NNUÓNOVLOMNPChair from the NSJpart neo-Rococodrawing room suite (åãâ NNSÓNPNL

Corner cupboardWood, marbleAfter Georg Haupt (NTQNÓNTUQ)Produced by unknown, SwedenNVMMÓNVRMe VNI i VTI t RP cmAnna and Ferdinand BobergFoundationåãâ NSULOMNP

ChairsTriva-ByggWoodElias Svedberg (NVNPÓNVUTFI NVQPProduced by Nordiska KompanietH TRKRI i QNI t QV cmDonated by Thomas Lindbladåãâ OPRÓOPSLOMNP

Textiles

TextileGul blomma med bi (Yellow Flowerwith Bee)Linen, woolAnn-Mari Forsberg (NVNSÓNVVNFINVRVProduced by AB Märta Måås-FjetterströmH OVI t OU cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NMLOMNP

TextileSpättan Röd (The Red Plaice)Linen, woolBarbro Nilsson (NUVVÓNVUPFI NVQPProduced by AB Märta Måås-FjetterströmH OVI t OU cmDonated by Stig Johanssonåãâ NNLOMNP

FabricCreekLinenMaya Kessler (b. NVSR)Produced by Firma Svenskt Tenn,Stockholm OMNMi NNMI t NRM cmDonated by Firma Svenskt Tennåãâ QMLOMNP

Male costume; waistcoat andtrousersVelvet, silkMärta Helje-Blom (b. NVPMFI NVTMsWest: H RSI t RM cmDonated by Åke Livstedtåãâ QULOMNP

OMNP) made for the Utrikesminister-hotellet (Foreign Ministers Hotel)on Blasieholmstorg. The upholsteryis the original red silk, the same thatis still found on the walls of theroom for which the suite wasdesigned. The furniture has been instorage since the Foreign MinistersHotel moved out in the NVSMs.

FootstoolsGilt wood, silkUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPMÓNPNLOMNP

TableMahoganyUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPOLOMNP

Console tablesGilt wood, marbleUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NPVÓNQMLOMNP

Trumeau mirrorsGilt woodUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQNÓNQOLOMNP

PelmetsGilt woodUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQP~ÓÅLOMNP

PelmetsGilt woodUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQQ~ÓÅLOMNP

PelmetsGilt woodUnknown, Stockholm c. NUQMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQR~ÓÅLOMNP


UR Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

TextilesLinenIngrid Dessau (NVOPÓOMMM)Produced by Klässbols Linneväveri,NVVOe QRI t RM cmTransferredåãâ QVÓROLOMNP

AntependiumWool, silk, gilt silver threadAnnie Frykholm (NUTOÓNVRR)

Produced by Tyra Grafström,Nordiska Kompaniet, Stockholmc. NVMMe NNRI i PRM cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholmåãâ TTLOMNP

EmbroideryLinen, cottonSonja Reinfeldt (b. NVNT), c. NVRMe OOI i RNKR cm

Donated by Birgitta Magnussonåãâ VRLOMNP

Stage curtainTextileSven X:et Erixson (NUVVÓNVTM)Produced by AB Ditzinger,Stockholm NVSOe QVPI t UTM cmFrom the Nationalmuseumauditoriumåãâ OQR~ÓÄLOMNP

EmbroideryAkademiska stråk nya Karolinska(Academic Paths New Karolinska)Silk, gold treadMarie-Louise Reinius (b. 1VQNFIOMNOe PUKRI t PNKR cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ OQSLOMNP(See article on p. QT)


US

Fig. PU Armchair, åãâ NNMÓNNPLOMNPK Fig. PV Armchair, åãâ NNUÓNOPLOMNPK


Industrial design

Telephone with five covers indifferent coloursDiavoxPlasticCarl-Arne Breger (NVOPÓOMMVFINVTRProduced by L M Ericsson,Stockholm NVTUÓNVUVe VKRI i OOI t NT cmDonated by Thomas Lindbladåãâ OPT~ÓÑLOMNP

TelephoneDiavoxPlasticCarl-Arne Breger (NVOPÓOMMVFINVTRProduced by L M Ericsson,Stockholm NVTUÓNVUVe VKRI i OOI t NT cmDonated by Thomas Lindbladåãâ OPULOMNP

Headphone with microphonePlastic, metalRalph Lysell (NVMTÓNVUTFI NVPVProduced by L M Ericsson,Stockholm NVPVÓNVQRe NRI i NQI t OM cmDonated by Thomas Lindbladåãâ OPVLOMNP

Graphic design

PosterALLT ÄR DITT FEL (THIS IS ALLYOUR FAULT)PaperLars Fuhre (b. 1VSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ VSLOMNPThis poster is part of Lars Fuhre’sseries “A Feel Bad Poster”, whichdeals with culpability and how welike to blame others. But who is thesender, and who is the receiver?Who is right and who is wrong?Fuhre is interested in the inter-personal and universal relationshipsbetween people. “A Feel BadPoster” is Fuhre’s reaction toconstructive messages such as"Carpe Diem”, often displayed onpeople’s walls at home or as fridgemagnets.

PosterALLES IST DEINE SCHULD (THISIS ALL YOUR FAULT)PaperLars Fuhre (b. NVSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ VTLOMNP

PosterTOUS EST DE TA FAUTE (THIS ISALL YOUR FAULT)PaperLars Fuhre (b. NVSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ VULOMNP

PosterTHIS IS ALLPaperLars Fuhre (b. NVSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ VVLOMNP

PosterTHIS IS THISPaperLars Fuhre (b. NVSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ NMMLOMNP

PosterTHIS IS YOUPaperLars Fuhre (b. NVSRFI OMNOe TMI t RM cmDonated by Lars Fuhreåãâ NMNLOMNP

Miscellaneous

VaseMaelstrom VNylon, blue mineralMichael Eden (b. NVRR), GreatBritain OMNNe PMI i NTKRI t NS cmDonated by the Friends of theNationalmuseum, Bengt Julin Fundåãâ PLOMNPOne of the advantages of PDprinting is that people can createworks that would otherwise be

Swedish NationalPortrait GalleryGripsholm Castle

Fig. QMI see p. UUJohan Johansson Aureller the Elder(NSOSÓNSVS)SwedishOlaus Christophori (Olof Kristoffersson)Aurivillius (NSMPÓNSSU), vicar inKnutby and Vendel, dean in Gävle,provost in Uppsala, member ofparliament, Gävle NSSNOil on canvas, VR ñ TR cmAxel Hirsch FundåãÖêÜ QUVOCompanion piece to åãÖêÜ QUVP

Fig. QNI see p. UUBarbara (Barbro) Cassiopæa, marriedAurivillius (NSNMÓNSTV), Gävle NSRQOil on canvas, VR ñ TR cmAxel Hirsch FundåãÖêÜ QUVPCompanion piece to åãÖêÜ QUVOThe Swedish National PortraitGallery’s collection of NTth centuryworks is dominated by portraits ofroyalty and nobility, most of whichwere made by artists active inStockholm. In view of this, theacquisition of the portraits of thevicar Aurivillius and his wife fromtheir time in Gävle is particularlyvaluable. The couple are dressed inblack – a fitting colour for clergyand scholars – and both are restingone hand on a book, probably aBible and a hymnbook respectively.The two portraits express deeplyearnestness. The artist JohanJohansson Aureller the Elderpainted the vicar’s wife in NSRQ.He then left Gävle for a few years,and the husband was paintedseven years later. Nevertheless, thepaintings are obviously intended ascompanion pieces. Aureller mainlypainted portraits and religiousscenes. Despite being a masterlyartist, he is fairly unknown since hedid not work in the capital.

impossible to produce. This is thefirst object of its kind in theMuseum’s collections.(See article on p. QT)

Nationalmuseum uniform; blazerand capFabric, brassUnknown. Produced by Rörström &Co and C. Sporrong, StockholmNVSMsBlazer: H UNI t SM cmDonated by Eva Karlssonåãâ QR~ÓÄLOMNP

Nationalmuseum uniform; blazerand capFabric, brassUnknown. Produced by Rörström &Co and C. Sporrong, StockholmNVSMsBlazer: H TTI t RR cmDonated by Eva Karlssonåãâ QS~ÓÄLOMNP

Buttons for a NationalmuseumuniformBrassUnknown. Produced by C.Sporrong, Stockholm NVSMsBlazer: H NI Diam. OKR cmDonated by Eva Karlssonåãâ QT~ÓÇLOMNP

Ceremonial staffWood, brass, fabricUnknown, NUQMÓNUVMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQSLOMNP

Candle lighter and snufferWood, metalUnknown, NUMMÓNVMMTransferred from the Ministry forForeign Affairsåãâ NQTLOMNP


UT Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

Oscar Björk (NUSMÓNVOV),attributed toSwedishEdvard Perséus (NUQNÓNUVM), artistSigned “OB”Plaster, H SO cmGift of Edvard Perséus, executivedirectoråãÖêÜ QVMM

Fig. QOI see p. UVErik Cornelius (b. NVQQ)SwedishDick Bengtsson (NVPSÓNVUV), painter,sculptor, filmmaker, Räka at Voxnan SJuly, NVTM, reprint NU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,QOKR ñ SM cm

Gift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOVDick Bengtsson was one of the mostoriginal representatives of theUS-inspired wave of Swedish popart. He had a studio in Stockholmand one in the vast forests ofHälsingland. This is where ErikCornelius’ camera captured theartist, on the shore of the riverVoxnan, surrounded by his ownworks. It was Dick Bengtsson’s ideato be portrayed in that spot. In themiddle is his enigmatic paintingRichard in Paris (NVTM, ModernaMuseet, Inv. No SPRP). The otherobjects were later destroyed in afire. At the time, Erik Cornelius wasworking at Moderna Museet, where

he, among other things, portrayedsome of Sweden’s most famousartists. This photo was made for theexhibition Alternative Suédois atthe Musée d’Art Moderne de laVille de Paris.

Lars Englund (b. NVPP), sculptor,Stockholm, P July, NVTM, reprintNU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,QOKN ñ OV cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOOPhotograph from Åbergs MekaniskaVerkstad (Åberg’s mechanicalworkshop) in the Old Town ofStockholm.

John-Erik (John-e) Franzén (b. NVQO),painter, Stockholm, NM April, NVTM,reprint NU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,QO ñ OVKS cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVORPhotography from ModernaMuseet, Stockholm, of the artistwhile retouching his painting Hell’sAngels of California. United States ofAmerica (NVSSÓNVTMI åã SOTOF.

Lars Hillersberg (NVPTÓOMMQ), artist,cartoonist, editor, Stockholm,NS September, NVTM, reprintNU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”


UU

Fig. QM Johan Johansson Aureller the Elder, Olaus Christophori (OlofKristoffersson) Aurivillius (NSMPÓNSSU), vicar in Knutby and Vendel, dean inGävle, provost in Uppsala, member of parliament, åãÖêÜ QUVOK

Fig. QN Johan Johansson Aureller the Elder, Barbara (Barbro) Cassiopæa,married Aurivillius (NSNMÓNSTV), åãÖêÜ QUVPK


Photograph, digital print,QOKN ñ PQKS cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOQPhotograph from behind ModernaMuseet, Stockholm.

Jan Håfström (b. NVPT), painter,sculptor, Stockholm, OT April, NVTM,reprint NU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,PMKP ñ QO cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOSPhotograph from the artist’s studioin Stockholm, with his paintingMountain (Berg, NVTM) in thebackground.

Björn Springfeldt (b. NVQN), artmuseum director, Stockholm, MarchNVSV, reprint NU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVSV”Photograph, digital print,QO ñ OT cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOTPhotograph from Moderna Museet,Stockholm, with Erró’s paintingFoodscape (NVSQI åã SMRV) in thebackground.

From left: Olle Kåks (NVQNÓOMMP),painter, graphic artist, sculptor; BjörnSpringfeldt (b. NVQN), art museumdirector; Sonja Martinsson (b. NVQN),director of Centre Culturel Suédois inParis, Stockholm, ON April, NVTM,reprint NU June, OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,OVKS ñ QO cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOPPhotograph from the studio of OlleKåks, Stockholm.

Artists who participated in the exhibition“Alternative Suédois” (Musée d’ArtModerne de la Ville de Paris)From left: Dick Bengtsson(NVPSÓNVUV), painter, sculptor,filmmaker; Ulrik Samuelson (b. NVPR),artist; Lars Hillersberg (NVPTÓOMMQ),artist, cartoonist, editor; Lars Englund

(b. NVPP), sculptor; John-Erik (John-e)Franzén (b. NVQO), painter; OlaBillgren (NVQMÓOMMN), painter,graphic artist, set designer; Einar Höste(NVPMÓOMNP), sculptor, painter;Olle Kåks (NVQNÓOMMP), painter,graphic artist, sculptor, Stockholm, NSSeptember, NVTM, reprint NU June,OMNPSigned “Erik C. NVTM”Photograph, digital print,QOKR ñ SM cmGift of the photographer ErikCorneliusåãÖêÜ QVOU

S.M. le ROI de SUÈDE et deNORWÈGE // et de la Mon // deS.A. le VICE ROI D’EGYPTE //VICHY // ET // CLERMONT-FER-RAND // en face la Prefecture”Albumen print mounted on paper-board, NSKQ ñ NMKS cmGift of Lennart WahlströmåãÖêÜ QVNT

William Fleetwood (NVNRÓNVVP)SwedishKarl Eriksson (NUTUÓNVSR),woodworker, editor in chief, member ofthe board of Kooperativa Förbundet,politician, NVQU

Photograph from behind ModernaMuseet, Stockholm. The exhibitionAlternative suédois was also shownthere, as Svenskt alternativ.

Claudius Couton (activeNUSPÓNUVO)FrenchJoseph Nathanael Michaëli (NUORÓNVMO), wholesale dealer, ironworksowner, bank founder, married to OscaraFredrica Leopoldina WahlströmSinged in print “EXPOSITIONSUNIVERSELLES // 1867 & 1878 //À // PARIS // CLAUDIUS COU-TON // PHOTOGRAPHE // de


UV

Fig. QO Erik Cornelius, Dick Bengtsson (NVPSÓNVUV), painter, sculptor, filmmaker, åãÖêÜ QVOVK


Signed “W. Fleetwood // NVQU.”Oil on canvas, UO ñ SQ cmGift of Bo Anulf and IngaLundberg, grandchildren of KarlErikssonåãÖêÜ QVPQ

Per Forsell (NUVUÓNVTV)SwedishUnknown man, NVQTSigned “P. Forsell // NVQT.”Gelatin silver print, QOKR ñ PR cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVNQ

Hans Gedda (b. NVQO)SwedishAnne Sofie von Otter (b. NVRR), operasinger, OMMSSigned “HANS GEDDA”Gelatin silver print, QMKR ñ QM cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVPN

Henry Buergel Goodwin, bornHeinrich Bürgel (NUTUÓNVPN)German, active in SwedenUnknown woman and unknown boy,P March, NVPMSigned “GOODWIN NVPM”Gelatin silver print, OS ñ NV cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMS

Unknown man, NVNVSigned “GOOD // WIN // 1919”Gelatin silver print mounted onpaperboard, PSKR ñ OUKT cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMT

Unknown woman, NVOPSigned “GOOD // WIN // 1923”Gelatin silver print mounted onpaperboard, OVKR ñ OP cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMU

Erik Gustaf Göthe (NTTVÓNUPU)SwedishDesideria (NTTTÓNUSM), b. DesiréeClary, Queen of Sweden and Norway,married to Karl XIV Johan, King ofSweden and Norway, c. NUOSSigned “Göthe s. 18[--]”Plaster, H TQI _ QUKPI a OTKR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholm, National Agency forSpecial Needs Education andSchoolsåãÖêÜ QVNV

Herman Hamnqvist (NUSRÓNVQS)SwedishAnne-Marie Strindberg (NVMOÓOMMT),daughter of the author AugustStrindberg and the actress Harriet Bosse,Stockholm NVMQSigned in print “HERM. HAMN-QVIST // GULDMEDALJER: //STOCKHOLM 1897. // PARIS1900, GEFLE 1901. // TURIN 1902.STOCKHOLM BIBLIOTEKS-GATAN 11”; “H.K.H. KRONPRIN-SENS // HOFFOTOGRAF.”;“HERM. HAMNQVISTS //[F]OTOGRAFI-ATELIER”Albumen print mounted on paper-board, NSKR ñ NMKT cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMOAccording to an inscription on theback of the photograph, this was agift to the sitter’s sister, KerstinStrindberg. The inscription isprobably made by their father, theauthor August Strindberg.

Mathias Hansen (NUOPÓNVMR)Norwegian, active in SwedenOscara Fredrica Leopoldina Wahlström(NUOUÓNUVR), married to the wholesaledealer and banker Joseph NathanaelMichaëliSigned in print “MATHS HANSENSTOCKHOLM.”; “Silfver MedaljStockholm 1866. // CARL XVSVERIGES AND NORGES G.O.V.KONUNG // MATHS HANSEN //Kongl. Hof Photograf //Regeringsgatan No 11 // STOCK-HOLM”Albumen print mounted onpaperboard, NMKQ ñ SKS cmGift of Lennart WahlströmåãÖêÜ QVNSThe Swedish National PortraitGallery previously received an oilpainting depicting Mrs. Michaëli, byAmalia Lindegren, from the samedonor (åãÖêÜ QTRPI Art Bulletin ofNationalmuseum, Stockholm, vol.NT xOMNMz, Stockholm OMNN, pp.RNf.).

Axel Helsted (NUQTÓNVMT),(portrait) and Karl Nordström(NURRÓNVOP), (ornaments onmount)Helsted Danish, Nordström SwedishJ.P. (Jens Peter) Jacobsen (NUQTÓNUUR),Danish author, NUUR

Signed, the portrait “Axel HelstedNUUR”; the mount “Till G. af G. medvänskap och tack // KarlNordström”Etching on paper (portrait), ink onpaperboard (mount), OV ñ OP cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVPP

Fig. QPPehr Köhler (NTUQÓNUNM)SwedishEva Magdalena Ekeblad (NTQTÓNUOQ),Countess, chamber maid at the court ofDuchess Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta,NUMTSigned “P.K. v”Watercolour and gouache on ivory,Diam. c. RKR cmFrame of gilt wood, velvet, imprint-ed paperboardHjalmar and Anna Wicander FundåãÖêÜ QUVSPehr Köhler died young. One of histeachers was Lorens Sparrgren. Thisminiature of Countess EvaMagdalena Ekeblad, chambermaidto Duchess Hedvig ElisabetCharlotta, gives a distinct exampleof the artist’s characteristic portraitstyle. It combines a sharp power ofobservation with charming naiveté.

Visilievna Krukovskaja, m. N.Kilbom, OK Lagerkrans, known asZoia (NVMPÓNVVV)Russian, active in SwedenKarin Söder (b. NVOU), the first womanto be party leader (Centerpartiet) andMinister for Foreign Affairs in Sweden,NVTUSigned “Zoia.”; “Utrikesminister //Karin Söder // av Zoia NVTU.”Oil and gold leaf on plywood,UT ñ NMM cmTransferred from the Ministry forForeign AffairsåãÖêÜ QVNP

Åke Lange (NVMVÓNVTR)SwedishIngrid Bergman (NVNRÓNVUO), actress,NVPRGelatin silver print, OO ñ NS cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMR

Unknown womanSigned “Lange”Gelatin silver print, PV ñ OV cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVPM

Fig. QQUrban Larsson (b. NVSS)Swedish, active in the NetherlandsSilvia (b. NVQP), b. Sommerlath, Queenof Sweden, married to Carl XVI Gustaf,King of Sweden, DrottningholmFebruary – March OMNPSigned “URBAN L. OMNP”Oil on canvas, NPR ñ NMM cmGift of Robert Andréen, PerEdholm, Peje Emilsson, ElisabethFernström Edholm, SalvatoreGrimaldi, Barbro E. Heinz, Birgittaand Magnus Härenstam, Robert afJandnick, Lage Jonason, JaneOlsson Thornburn, Erik Penser,Stefan Persson, Sophie Stenbeck,Anders Wall, ABB AB Sverigethrough Johan Söderström,Bukowskis through MichaelStoråkers, Telia Sonera AB throughLars NybergåãÖêÜ QVNOIn OMNP, a new portrait of HMQueen Silvia was unveiled, a giftfrom private individuals andbusinesses on the occasion ofthe Queen’s TMth birthday. Theartist chose to emphasise herhumanitarian commitment bydepicting books on the table to theright, the spines of which shownames of organisations supportedby the Queen. The artist UrbanLarsson has studied at variousschools, including the FlorenceAcademy of Art, founded in NVVNby the American painter DanielGraves. Both are representatives of astyle that started in the USA, calledIdeal Realism, which combines afascination for traditional paintingwith studies of the surroundingreality. Larsson lives and works inAmsterdam, where he has receivedmany official portrait commissionsover the years.


VMArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

Fig. QRI see p. VOPeter Linde (b. NVQS)SwedishHans Blix (b. NVOU), diplomat,Minister for Foreign Affairs, DirectorGeneral of International Atomic EnergyAgency (IAEA), Executive Chairman ofUnited Nations Monitoring, Verificationand Inspection Commission(UNMOVIC), Chairman of the Weaponsof Mass Destruction Commission(WMDC), OMNPBronze, H QSI _ ORI a PO cmGift of Gripsholmsföreningen(Axel Hirsch Fund)åãÖêÜ QVNNHans Blix’s international work hasbeen politically controversial. Hehas maintained his own integrity asan impartial inspector, appointed by

the UN, in international conflicts.This portrait bust was created by thesculptor Peter Linde, who defiedthe prevailing trends by remainingfaithful to the figurative tradition.This is not a question of style, heclaims, but of something profoundlyexistential in each individual.His everyday realism does not feeltrivial, however, but is oftendelicately balanced. One excellentexample is this informal portrait ofHans Blix as an elderly man with afriendly face. There is little evidencethat he has stood eye to eye withleaders of mighty nations andinfamous dictators. Thus, this is anunusual and paradoxical portrait,in the sense that it earnestlycaptures the private character of an

Fig. QSI see p. VORobert Lundberg (NUSNÓNVMP)SwedishCarl Johansson (NUSPÓNVQQ), painter,NUUQSigned “Rob. L-g // 84.”Oil on canvas mounted onpaperboard, PPKR ñ OQ cmHedda and N. D. Qvist FundåãÖêÜ QVONIn NUUQ, Robert Lundberg andCarl Johansson were both studentsat the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.Lundberg’s informal portrait ofhis friend conveys the mood of acarefree moment outside theirstudies. While modelling, Johanssoncan relax and devote himself to thepleasure of smoking a cigarette.The painting is a veritable sketch,

erudite, kind-hearted man, far fromthe heated sphere of internationalpolitics in which he worked.

Pehr Lindhberg (NTURÓNUSU)SwedishJosefina (NUMTÓNUTS), Princess ofLeuchtenberg, Queen of Sweden andNorway, married to Oskar I, King ofSweden and Norway, NUPPSigned “P Lindhberg // pxt 1833.”Pastel on vellum, c. 48 x 38 cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholm, National Agency forSpecial Needs Education andSchoolsåãÖêÜ QVNU


VN

Fig. QP Pehr Köhler, Eva Magdalena Ekeblad (NTQTÓNUOQ), Countess, chambermaid at the court of Duchess Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta, åãÖêÜ QUVSK

Fig. QQ Urban Larsson, Silvia (b. NVQP), b. Sommerlath, Queen of Sweden, marriedto Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, åãÖêÜ QVNOK


in which the head is the main focus.The monotony of the black-and-white figure and the greyish-brownbackground are perfectly balancedagainst the lively red fabric behindthe head of the man and the trail ofblue cigarette smoke. The followingyear, Johansson left the Academy tojoin the opponent movement.Lundberg remained for anotherthree years, before continuing hisstudies abroad. He became famousmainly for his cityscapes and land-scapes with genre features. Hiscareer was cut short, however, by a

respiratory disease and he died inhis early forties.

Fig. QTI see p. VPElisabeth Ohlson Wallin (b. NVSN)SwedishFrom left: Bertil Wassén (b. NVVO),student; Magnus Boström (b. NVSU),CEO; Astrid Wassén (b. NVVQ), student;and Erik Wassén (b. NVSN), lawyer,politician, Stockholm OMNPPhotograph, digital print,VM ñ VM cmGift of Erik Wassén, lawyeråãÖêÜ QVPO

When Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin wasasked to portray the lawyer ErikWassén’s family, she chose toparaphrase and create a personalinterpretation of one of the mostfamous Swedish group portraits:John-Erik Franzén’s painting ofKing Carl XVI Gustaf with his family(NVUQÓNVURI åãÖêÜ PVNS). Bothfamilies are arranged in front of awoven tapistry with a lush greenlandscape. Together with thefurniture, it indicates a traditionalsetting, full of beautiful antiquities.The arrangement and poses of the

Wassén-Boström family distinctlyecho Franzén’s composition. Eventhe royal Labrador Charlie has hiscounterpart in a small, yellow cagedbird. Despite all the similaritiesbetween the two family portraits,Ohlson Wallin’s photo alsointentionally challenges the conceptof the traditional nuclear family.In her portrait, classical traditionis combined with the newcontemporary definition of family.


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Fig. QR Peter Linde, Hans Blix (b. NVOU), diplomat, Minister for Foreign Affairs,Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Executive Chairmanof United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC),Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC), åãÖêÜ QVNNK

Fig. QS Robert Lundberg, Carl Johansson (NUSPÓNVQQ), painter, åãÖêÜ QVONK


Fig. QUI see p. VQBernhard Österman (NUTMÓNVPU)SwedishGustav V (NURUÓNVRM), Crown Princeof Sweden and Norway, King of Sweden,married to Viktoria, Princess of BadenSigned “Bernhard Österman”Oil on canvas, NPR ñ VMKR cmTransferred from the Public ArtAgency SwedenåãÖêÜ QVPRThe twin brothers Bernhard andEmil Österman were two of themajor Swedish portraitists at theprevious turn of the century.With the exception of the mastercolourist Anders Zorn, few parallelscan be found other than amongBritish and Continental socialiteportraits of the same period. Royalportraits became more bourgeoisin style in the NVth century. Withphotography came the mass-distribution of pictures, and it wasno longer necessary for regents tobe portrayed in full regalia orwith other attributes. The publicrecognised the royal personagesfrom newspapers or otherreproductions. The role of themonarchy had also changed, andKing Gustav V was the first Swedishmonarch who chose not to becrowned. In Bernhard Österman’spainting, the Royal Order of theSeraphim is the only detailindicating the rank of the sitter.Its pale-blue ribbon also forms acentrally-placed eye-catching accentin this serenely elegant portrait.

Edvard Perséus (NUQNÓNUVM)SwedishSelf-portrait with the artist’s wife MariaAgnes Claesson (NUQPÓ after NVMP),interior from their home in Paris, sketchOil on canvas mounted on paper-board, OTKR ñ PN cmGift of Edvard Perséus, executivedirectoråãÖêÜ QUVT

Self-portrait as a hunterSigned “Perséus”Oil on canvas, SN ñ RM cmGift of Edvard Perséus, executivedirectoråãÖêÜ QUVU

Gripsholm Castle, interior from theKing’s bedchamberOil on canvas mounted onmasonite, RS ñ QTKR cmGift of Edvard Perséus, executivedirectoråãÖêÜ QUVV

Anna Riwkin (NVMUÓNVTM)born in Russia, active in Sweden,died in IsraelWilhelm Kåge (NUUVÓNVSM), painter,graphic artist, ceramist, in his studio atGustafsbergSigned “RIW // KIN”; stamp“COPYRIGHT // RIWKIN //STOCKHOLM SWEDEN”

Carl Ferdinand Stelzner(NUMRÓNUVQ)GermanFredrik Wendt (NUOUÓNUVS), member ofthe Magistrates’ Court in Ystad,Hamburg OO May NUQVSigned in print “DAGUERREOTYP// von // Stelzner //Portraitmaler. // Jungfernstieg No11 // HAMBURG”Daguerreotype, c. TKO ñ SKO cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMN

Gelatin silver print, NRKV ñ NNKO cmTransferred from the PhotoArchives of the NationalmuseumåãÖêÜ QVMP

Maria Röhl (NUMNÓNUTR)SwedishCarl Henrik Gyllenhaal (NTUUÓNURT),Baron, governor of the palaces ofUlriksdal and HagaSigned “Maria Röhl”Pencil and charcoal on paper,NMKU ñ V cmTransferred from the Public ArtAgency SwedenåãÖêÜ QVPV


VP

Fig. QT Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin, From left: Bertil Wassén (b. NVVO), student; Magnus Boström (b. NVSU), CEO; Astrid Wassén(b. NVVQ), student; and Erik Wassén (b. NVSN), lawyer, politician, åãÖêÜ QVPOK


Johan Erland Stenberg(NUPUÓNUVS)Finnish, active in SwedenKarl XV (NUOSÓNUTO), King of Swedenand Norway, married to Lovisa, Princessof the Netherlands, Queen of Swedenand Norway, Manilla NUTPSigned “J.E. Stenberg // ManillaNUTP.”Plaster, H TSKRI _ RSI a PQKR cmTransferred from Manillaskolan,Stockholm, National Agency forSpecial Needs Education andSchoolsåãÖêÜ QVOM

Christer Strömholm (NVNUÓOMMO)SwedishGunnel Heineman (b. NVON), artist,Paris NVQVSigned, stamp “PHOTO CHRISTERCHRISTIAN”Gelatin silver print, NQKR ñ OOKR cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QUVRChrister Strömholm used ChristerChristian as his artist’s name in theNVQMs.

David Tägtström (NUVQÓNVUN)SwedishGustav VI Adolf (NUUOÓNVTP), Princeof Sweden and Norway, King of Sweden,married to NKMargareta, Princess ofConnaught, OK Louise, LadyMountbatten, NVTM or NVTNSigned “David Tägtström // förkonsulatet i Palma de Mallorca. //Stockholm 10.2. 1971”; in print“David Tägtström // kgl. SlottetMars NVTM.”Reproduction on paper,c. PS ñ QV cmTransferred from the Ministry forForeign AffairsåãÖêÜ QVQM

Hans Thorwid (b. NVQU)SwedishUlf Linde (NVOVÓOMNP), professor, artmuseum director, art critic, jazz musi-cianPhotograph, digital print,QSKR ñ QSKR cmGift of the photographer HansThorwidåãÖêÜ QVNRPhotograph from Moderna Museet,Ulf Linde is holding his replica ofMarcel Duchamp’s ...pliant, ...devoyage (Moderna Museet, åãëâNUUR).

Sissel Wibom (b. NVSO)SwedishBirgit Friggebo (b. NVQN), Minister forHousing, Minister for Culture, NVVSSigned “SW”; “SISSEL WIBOM1996”; “SISSEL WIBOM 1996”Oil on canvas, RP ñ QT cmTransferred from the Public ArtAgency SwedenåãÖêÜ QVPU

Rolf Winquist (NVNMÓNVSU)SwedishGertrud Fridh (NVONÓNVUQ), actress, asMedea in Jean Anouilh’s ‘Médée’, NVRNGelatin silver print, 36 x 28.5 cmJ. H. Scharp FundåãÖêÜ QUVQ(See article on p. RP)

Album with ON cartes de visite, NUSMsand NUTMsLeather binding, closedNR ñ NNKT ñ P cm, openNR ñ ORKR cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMVWN Ó åãÖêÜ QVMVWON

Unknown photographerRoyal persons from the NUSMs andNUTMs, c. TM portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWN

Martin Josephson (NUONÓNUUR),attributed to, after lithographsSwedishSwedish regents from the NQth, NRth andNSth centuries, NM portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWO

Martin Josephson (NUONÓNUUR),attributed to, after lithographsSwedishSwedish kings and queen regnants fromGustav I to Karl XV, NV portraitsAlbumen print mounted on paper-board, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWP

Unknown photographer, afterlithographsSwedishFrom the Thirty Years’ War, NN portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWQ

Unknown photographer, afterlithographsSwedishThe era of Gustav II Adolf and QueenKristina, PT portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWR

Unknown photographer, afterlithographsSwedishThe era of Karl X, Karl XI and KarlXII, PO portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWS

Unknown photographer, afterlithographsSwedishThe era of Gustav III, PR portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWT


VQ

Fig. QU Bernhard Österman, Gustav V (NURUÓNVRM), Crown Prince of Swedenand Norway, King of Sweden, married to Viktoria, Princess of Baden, åãÖêÜ QVPRK


Unknown photographerThe British Royal Family surrounded bymore than NMM portraits from differentEuropean countries, photo-mosaicAlbumen print mounted on paper-board, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWU

Unknown photographerWilliam I (NTVTÓNUUU), King ofPrussia, Emperor of Germany, marriedto Augusta, Princess of Sachsen-WeimarAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWV

Unknown photographerMontage, a head consisting of a.o.;William I (NTVTÓNUUU), King ofPrussia, Emperor of Germany, marriedto Augusta, Princess of Sachsen-Weimar;Otto von Bismarck-Schönhausen(NUNRÓNUVU), Count, Prince, Duke ofLauenburg, Lord High ChancellorAlbumen print mounted on paper-board, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNM

Unknown photographerFrom left: Victor Emmanuel II(NUOMÓNUTU), King of Sardinia, Kingof Italy, married to NK Adelheid,Archduchess of Austria, OK RosaVercellana; Camillo Benso di Cavour(NUNMÓNUSN), Italian statesman;Giuseppe Garibaldi (NUMTÓNUUO),Italian patriotAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNN

Unknown photographerSofia (NUPSÓNVNP), Princess ofNassau-Weilburg, Queen of Sweden andNorway, married to Oskar II, King ofSweden and NorwayAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNO

Unknown photographerOskar II (NUOVÓNVMT), King of Swedenand Norway, married to Sofia, Princessof Nassau-WeilburgAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNP

Mathias Hansen (NUOPÓNVMR),attributed toNorwegian, active in SwedenJosefina (NUMTÓNUTS), Princess ofLeuchtenberg, Queen of Sweden andNorway, married to Oskar I, King ofSweden and NorwayAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNQ

Unknown photographerLovisa (NUOUÓNUTN), Princess of theNetherlands, Queen of Sweden andNorway, married to Karl XV, King ofSweden and NorwayAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNR

Unknown photographerOskar II (NUOVÓNVMT), King of Swedenand Norway, married to Sofia, Princessof Nassau-WeilburgAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNS

Unknown photographerSofia (NUPSÓNVNP), Princess ofNassau-Weilburg, Queen of Sweden andNorway, married to Oskar II, King ofSweden and NorwayAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNT

Franck (pseudonym for FrançoisMarie Louis Alexandre Gobinet deVillecholle) (NUNSÓNVMS)FrenchKarl XV (NUOSÓNUTO), King of Swedenand Norway, married to Lovisa, Princessof the Netherlands, Paris NURR(?)Albumen print mounted on paper-board, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNU

Unknown photographerKarl XV, King of Sweden and Norway,and contemporary European monarchs,NV portraitsAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWNV

E. Farrington MelvilleFrench, active in SwedenThe Swedish establishment duringthe reign of Karl XV and Lovisa,

Esterhazy, Count, August NUUPX NVKDôme Lyka; OM. Pista Kegel(?); ON.Illegible name (Bubbelstrup?), NUUPXOOK Odeschalky, Princess, and her son;OP. Anna Meszlényi, PN July, NUUPXOQK August Fersen-Gyldenstolpe, Count,c. NUURX ORK Carl Fersen-Gyldenstolpe,Count, c. NUURX OSK Alice Gyürky,Countess; OT. Cecil Gosling and the pugKosmos (Kormos?), c. NUUQX OUK Thehound Fass An; OV, Two dogs belongingto Count Karl Zichy; PM. The pugKosmos (Kormos?), c. NUURX PNK JeanneCziraley; 32. Nadine Rüdl (Rüdt?),Countess, widow, and Ella Zukey(?),Baroness; PP. Pista Kégl (d. NUUUFI OVAugust, NUUPX PQK Gilbert Hohenwart,Count; 35. Evelyn Gosling; PS. “Mymother”, probably Ida Gosling’s mother;PT. Pauline Odeschalki, m. Benitzky,Princess; PU. Alice Gyürky, Countess,NUUPX PVK Audley Gosling, knight,NUUMX QMK Irma Kégl, m. Meszlényi; QN.Loard Odeschalki and his sister; QO. M.and Mme. De Mátfhy(Marsky?); QP.Mitzi Lenyéy, Baroness; QQ.Margareta/Margherite Kühn, Countess,artist; QR. Andor Esterházy, Count; QS.Audley Gosling and Ronald Gosling,probably brothers, NUURX QTKMartáBenitzky; QU. Marandetti, Baroness,c. NUURLeather binding, closedPTKR ñ PMKR ñ S cm, openPTKR ñ SPKR cmThe Swedish Portrait Archives FundåãÖêÜ QVNMAcquired from the art dealer LarsOlsson OMMT, together with severalother photographs – see Art Bulletinof Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, vol. NQEOMMTFI Stockholm OMMU, pp.OTÓPM.

Unknown photographerPossibly SwedishGroup portrait with artists in a studioStanding from left: Ivar Nyberg(NURRÓNVOR), painter; Carl WilhelmJaensson (NURPÓNVPN), painter, graph-ic artist, conservator at theNationalmuseum, drawing-master;Massa or Masse(?) Lundgren, artist;Johan Tirén (NURPÓNVNN), painter;Edvard Rosenberg (NURUÓNVPQ),painterSeated from left: Alfred Thörne(NURMÓNVNS), painter; Axel Fahlcrantz(NURNÓNVOR), painter; HermanFeychting (NUSRÓNVMN), painter,

photo-mosaic, probably StockholmNUSPAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmåãÖêÜ QVMVWOM

Unknown photographer, afterlithographCollage, the head of Napoleon III, bornLouis Napoléon Bonaparte(NUMUÓNUTP), Emperor of France, com-posed of several people and events, a.o.:Pope Pius IX, born Giovanni MariaMastai-Ferretti (NTVOÓNUTU); GiacomoAntonelli (NUMSÓNUTS), CardinalSecretary of State; Eugène LouisNapoléon Bonaparte (NURSÓNUTV),Prince of France, Prince Imperial;Eugénie de Montijo de Guzmán(NUOSÓNVOM), Countess, Empress ofFrance; Felice Orsini (NUNVÓNURU),Italian Count, lawyer, revolutionary;Maximilian I (NUPOÓNUST), Archdukeof Austria, Emperor of MexicoAlbumen print mounted onpaperboard, c. UKR ñ RKO cmãÖêÜ QVMVWON

Various artists – all photographersunknown, drawings and water-colours by Ida Gosling, CountHolstein, Palle Rosenkrantz,ARIZ, Arild Rosenkrantz, MimiIsnolski/Isvolski/Izvolsky(?), F.D.Marshall, Ch. Marandetti, J.S.Pasteur, V.N., A. Rdz., Emily Piper,Märtha (family name unknown),and othersAlbum from the NUUMs with photo-graphs, watercolours and drawings, QUphotographic portraits of people and dogsfrom Hungary, Great Britain, Germany,Denmark, Sweden, and other places.List of the portraits: N. Loard(?)Odaschalchi, Prince; O. LouisetteCzirachy, Countess; PK Jozé Czirachy; QKJeanne Czirachy; RK Isa Gosling andAlice Gyürley(?), Countess; S. Holstein,Count, c. NUURX TK Jeno Zichy, Count;U. Agnes Waldstein, Countess, and herson; VK Erzci Czirachy, Countess; NM.Pali Meszlényi; NN. Agnes Fiath(?), m.Waldstein, Countess; NO. MarittaEsterhazy, m. Czirachy, Countess; NPKKatinka Lyka, m. Márfhy(?); NQ. LuisFersen, m. Gyldenstolpe, Comtesse; NR.Ilona Andássy, m. Battyani, bornCountess, married Princess; NS. LajosBiro; NT. Julie Lichy (Licky?), m.Odeschalki, Princess; NU. Laczi


VR Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

graphic artist; Edward Forsström(NURQÓNVPQ), painter; Adolf Beer(NURSÓNVNO), painter; J.A.G. Acke,born Johan Axel Gustaf Andersson(NURVÓNVOQ), painter, sculptor; AxelMalmgren (NURTÓNVMN), painter,graphic artist, conservator and amanu-ensis at the Nationalmuseum, drawing-master; Wilhelm Dahlbom(NURRÓNVOU), painter; Johan Åkerlund(NURSÓNVMO), painter; GeorgNordensvan (NURRÓNVPO), art histori-an, author, painter; Victor (Vicke)

Andrén (NURSÓNVPV), painter, lateNUUMs – c. NUVMGelatin silver print, NRKV ñ NNKO cmGift fund of GripsholmsföreningenåãÖêÜ QVMQ

Unknown artist, active during thefirst half of the OMth centuryPossibly SwedishFredrik Thorsson (NUSRÓNVOR), shoe-maker, Minister for Finance, Ministerfor Trade

Oil on canvas, NMM ñ US cmTransferred from the Public ArtAgency SwedenåãÖêÜ QVPS

Fredrik Thorsson (NUSRÓNVOR), shoe-maker, Minister for Finance, Ministerfor TradeOil on canvas, VP ñ USKR cmTransferred from the Ministry forFinanceåãÖêÜ QVPT

Fig. QVUnknown artist, active first half ofthe NTth centuryGustav II Adolf (NRVQÓNSPO), King ofSweden, married to Maria Eleonora,Princess of BrandenburgOil on canvas, NVR ñ NNV cmTransferred from the Ministry forForeign AffairsåãÖêÜ QVQNThis portrait of King Gustav II Adolfwith his hair arranged in a mullet isslightly puzzling. There is no otherportrait in which he has this hair-style. In other pictures of him, hishair is characteristically short andwell-groomed. The details, such asthe shining armour, are painted bysomeone with great experience indepicting materials and surfaces.The composition also indicates thatthe unknown artist knew what aregal portrait should look like.The king’s head, however, gives theimpression of not belonging to therest of the painting. It seems tohave been executed by a differenthand. The armour is also ratherantiquated – shouldn’t the Swedishmonarch be portrayed in a moreup-to-date costume? This isobviously a recycled painting.A portrait depicting a totallydifferent person was given a newidentity by another artist who addedthe head of the Swedish king.

Unknown artist, active mid NVthcenturyKarl XV (NUOSÓNUTO), King of Swedenand Norway, married to Lovisa, Princessof the NetherlandsPlasterTransferred from the Ministry forForeign AffairsåãÖêÜ QVQO


VS

Fig. QV Unknown artist, Gustav II Adolf (NRVQÓNSPO), King of Sweden, married toMaria Eleonora, Princess of Brandenburg, åãÖêÜ QVQNK


VT

få É~êäó cÉÄêì~êó OMNP , the Na-tionalmuseum closed its main building onBlasieholmen in Stockholm for several yearsof refurbishment. In June, the first of a num-ber of exhibitions in the Museum’s tempo-rary premises opened. The exhibition, CarlLarsson: Friends & Enemies, was shown inthree large galleries at the Royal Academy ofFine Arts on Fredsgatan in Stockholm.

The subject of the exhibition was cho-sen partly in view of the summer visitorsand the vast number of Swedish and for-eign tourists who usually come to the Na-tionalmuseum during the holidays. CarlLarsson is one of the most popular artists inthe collection, and Swedish and Nordic artfrom around the turn of the NVth century isgenerally loved by the summer audience.The theme – a presentation of Carl Larssonas a proponent of fin de siècle art and tradi-tions – seemed to be perfect for Stockholmin the summer of OMNP. The exhibition fea-tured Carl Larsson’s own works togetherwith several works by famous Swedish artistsfrom the period, including Anders Zorn,Hanna Pauli and Karl Nordström.

The focus was on Carl Larsson as a lead-ing figure on a highly dynamic arts scene.In Swedish cultural history, the late NUMMsare often described as a golden era, and theNUVMs appear to have been a pivotal decadewhen several prominent artists and writerswere at the zenith of their careers. Themost internationally famous of these was, ofcourse, August Strindberg, who was a closefriend of Carl Larsson for many years, but

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Carl Larsson: Friends & Enemies

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Fig. N Carl Larsson (NURPÓNVNV), August Strindberg, NUVV. Charcoal and oil on canvas,RS ñ PV cm. Nationalmuseum, åãÄ PVUK


VU


eventually became one of his worst ene-mies. In NVMU, Strindberg viciously attackedCarl Larsson and his wife in A New BlueBook, under the heading “Fabricated Char-acters”. Carl Larsson was deeply offended.A small section of the exhibition was devot-ed to the relationship between Carl Larssonand August Strindberg. It featured CarlLarsson’s portrait of Strindberg (Fig. N),along with one of Strindberg’s paintings.

The exhibition was largely arranged ac-cording to themes, based on Carl Larsson’spersonal relationships and his influenceon the arts scene around NVMM. But it alsopresented Carl Larsson’s life and oeuvreand covered his life and artistic develop-ment from his impoverished childhood inStockholm, his studies at the Royal Acade-my of Fine Arts and his time in Grez-sur-Loing, to the portrait painting and presti-gious public commissions in later years.Visitors thus had an opportunity to see anumber of Carl Larsson’s most famousworks, including many pictures of hishome and family at Sundborn in Dalarna.These are the images that made him so im-mensely popular (Fig. OFK

In NUUP, Carl Larsson married theSwedish painter Karin Bergöö. They hadmet in France, and Karin eventually had acrucial impact on Carl Larsson’s artisticcareer. Karin Bergöö studied art in Stock-holm and Paris, but stopped painting af-ter marrying Carl, who had voiced nega-tive opinions regarding women artists ingeneral in several contexts. Karin foundother outlets for her creativity, however.She played an important part in designingthe unique interiors of the family home,which grew into their joint artistic project.It comprised not only the interior designbut an approach to family life and variouslifestyle choices. One particular theme inthe exhibition concerned Carl’s manyportraits of Karin (Fig. P).

Despite his success, Carl Larsson occa-sionally encountered obstacles, for instancein connection with the commissions he re-ceived for public embellishments, such asthe one for the Nationalmuseum staircase.

Fig. O Carl Larsson (NURPÓNVNV), A Day of Celebration, c. NVUV. Watercolour, PO ñ QP cm.Nationalmuseum, åãÄ OUMK

Fig. P Carl Larsson (NURPÓNVNV), Azalea, NVMS. Thielska Galleriet, Stockholm, inv.no. ORNK


VV

A conservative establishment headed byKing Oscar II were opposed to his art, whilesome of his politically radical artist friendsfound him too right-wing. The exhibitionincluded several sketches for Carl Larsson’scommission for the Nationalmuseum. Os-car II was represented by a portrait paintedby Oscar Björck.

Carl Larsson’s success was based partlyon the support of a small group of patronswho bought his art at exhibitions and com-missioned new works. Portraits of the moreimportant of these patrons featured in theexhibition. At the time of Larsson’s break-through, the merchant and art collectorPontus Fürstenberg and his wife Göthildawere undoubtedly his most important pa-trons. Later, they were joined by the bankerErnest Thiel and Prince Eugen.

The exhibition comprised some NOMworks, almost NMM of which were by CarlLarsson. Other artists who were representedincluded Julia Beck, Hugo Birger, OscarBjörck, Eva Bonnier, Per Hasselberg, ErnstJosephson, Karl Nordström, Hanna Pauli,Georg Pauli and Anders Zorn. The Na-tionalmuseum’s own collection of Swedishfin de siècle art and works by Carl Larssonwas complemented by loans of key worksfrom several other Swedish and Nordic mu-seums and private collections in Sweden.The exhibition had SNISPP visitors and wasaccompanied by a richly-illustrated cata-logue in Swedish, English andGerman, withessays by Martin Olin, Görel Cavalli-Björk-man, Torsten Gunnarsson and Per I. Gedin.

Exhibition curator

Martin Olin

Exhibition design

Henrik Widenheim

Lighting design

Ljusdesign AB

Exhibition technology and installation

The Technical Department at Nationalmuseum,

under the supervision of Lennart Karlsson

CAD manager

Joakim E. Werning

Chief conservators

Helen Evans, Lena Dahlén and Maria Franzon


Interior from the exhibition Carl Larsson: Friends & Enemies.


Exhibition administration

Anneli Carlsson

Exhibition coordinator

Lena Granath

Project manager

Erik Järmens

Education officer

Helen Hallgren Archer

Exhibition catalogue

Carl Larsson: Friends & Enemies (English edition);

Carl Larsson: Freunde & Feinde (German edition);

Carl Larsson: Vänner & ovänner (Swedish edition)

Nationalmusei utställningskatalog nr SSV

(Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no. SSV)

Editorial committee: Martin Olin, Anne

Dahlström and Ingrid Lindell

Graphic design: BankerWessel

ISBN: (English edition) VTUJVNJTNMMJUQQJO

ISBN: (German edition) VTUJVNJTNMMJUQRJV

ISBN: (Swedish edition) VTUJVNJTNMMJUQPJR


NMM

Interiors from the exhibition Carl Larsson: Friends & Enemies.


NMN

showing the King’s hand firmly graspingthe hilt of his sword. The series was exhibit-ed again in OMNM, this time in TheBernadottes in Black and White at the Na-tionalmuseum. In the years leading up tothe current exhibition, these photographshave been complemented with a represen-tative selection of other portraits by HansGedda. The emphasis has been on people

tle, and consisted of ten photos from theseries made by Hans Gedda for King CarlXVI Gustaf’s RMth birthday in NVVS. It wasdonated by the Friends of the Nationalmu-seum. These photographs include boththe official image of His Majesty, and Ged-da’s own compositions. The latter includethe most radically innovative Swedish royalportraits from the NVMMs, such as the photo

ÉñÜ á Ä á í á çå ë LÜ~å ë ÖÉÇÇ~

e~åë dÉÇÇ~ (b. NVQO) is one of themost innovative Swedish portrait photogra-phers of the OMth century. Over more thana decade of actively collecting photograph-ic portraits, the Swedish National PortraitGallery has incorporated PV works by Ged-da in the collection. The earliest acquisi-tion was made in OMMS, for the exhibitionKings in Black and White at Gripsholm Cas-

Hans Gedda

bî~JiÉå~ h~êäëëçå`ìê~íçêI pïÉÇáëÜ k~íáçå~ä mçêíê~áí d~ääÉêó ~åÇ oçó~ä `~ëíäÉë `çääÉÅíáçåë

R aÉÅÉãÄÉê OMNP Ó PM j~êÅÜ OMNQ

Interior from the exhibition Hans Gedda, the entrance.


NMO

who are active in the arts, but the collec-tion also includes a few politicians and in-dustrialists. Four self-portraits demonstratethe artist’s playfulness and experiments instaging himself in a variety of roles.

The exhibition Hans Gedda would havebeen impossible without the photograph-er’s great generosity. The Nationalmuseumhas had free access to his photo archives, hiscorrespondence, press cuttings and otherdocumentation. Gedda’s agent, Mia Bengts-son Plynning, has also given us invaluableassistance. The perception of Gedda’s pho-tographic imagery has been both broad-ened and deepened in the process. Previ-ously-published monographs were writteneither by authors of fiction (Lars Forsselland Bodil Malmsten) or journalists (BjörnNilsson).1 These books are obviously crucialto understandingGedda; in the case of Fors-sell and Malmsten, the texts are literaryworks of art in their own right. Hans Geddahimself has also published articles on hiswork, mainly focusing on the practical as-pects of photography.2 However, until now,we have lacked a more comprehensive arthistoric interpretation. Access to the materi-al in Gedda’s archives resulted in a cata-logue with the potential for a life after theexhibition. But that obviously does notmean that the last word has been said aboutGedda’s multifaceted oeuvre. Hopefully, itwill inspire even more studies.

The main emphasis of the exhibitionwas on Hans Gedda’s portraits. Frequentlypublished photos such as that of the authorTove Jansson (NVST) and Nelson Mandela(NVVM) weremixed with less well-known im-ages. The pictures of Mandela appeared onthe covers of magazines and newspapers allover the world after his death, which, coin-cidentally, was the day Hans Gedda’s exhi-bition opened. Among the more unknownfaces was a series of sensitive, charismaticportraits of anonymous older men, whowere photographed by Gedda in connec-tion with a commercial shoot for DockersJeans in the mid-NVVMs, shown here for thefirst time. In these portraits, Gedda shows aparticular kinship with the paintings of the


Interior from the exhibition Hans Gedda, portraits of the leaders of the political parties inSweden in NVTS.


NMP

Caravaggists in the parallel exhibition Mas-ters of Darkness. As with the NTth-centurymasters, the individual person emergesthrough the pictorial surface of Gedda’spowerful renderings.

Gedda’s portraits combine the typicalwith the unexpected. Often, the pho-tographs do not correspond with the stan-dard image of the person in question. In-stead, Gedda has occasionally presented anew version that has, in some cases, come toinfluence other photographers. The unex-pected expression in a portrait adds furtherdepth to our idea of the depicted person.Many of the photographs are characterisedby melancholic, not to say sad, undertones.In Charlie Drevstam’s documentary Genietfrån Flen (The Genius from Flen, OMNO),Hans Gedda comments that laughter is lesssuitable for portraits, since it tends to looklike a grimace, a grin.

One example of a paradoxical smilecould beHans Gedda’ portraits of Georg Ry-deberg (NVTN) for the magazine Femina. Inthe colour photos for the article, his smile isseductive yet not quite convincing. Since theoriginal for this is a small diapositive, it couldnot be shown in the exhibition, but is in-cluded in the catalogue. The exhibited pho-tograph, taken on the same occasion, in-stead shows a serious man – an image thatexudes loneliness and isolation. Is that ver-sion more true than the other? This is oneexample of how Hans Gedda frequently ap-proached portrait photography. Alongsidethe photos that adhered to the client’s re-quests and were subsequently chosen forpublication, Gedda would produce his ownseries according to his own mind. Some-times, the difference is subtle, sometimes as-tronomical. Even if portraits of the exhibitedpersons have been seen frequently in thepress, these were not necessarily the sameversions as those now exhibited by the Na-tionalmuseum, or the ones that Gedda him-self chooses for a presentation of his work.

To broaden the picture of Hans Gedda,the portraits are complemented with im-ages from the world of the circus and still-lifes. In addition, the exhibition features a


Interior from the exhibitions Hans Gedda and Masters of Darkness. Hans Gedda’s portraits of elderly mennext to Domenico Fetti’s painting A Classical Poet Eåã STMUF.


NMQ

few early photos, in a photo journalisticstyle, taken by Gedda in the NVRMs in Flenwhere he grew up. These surprisingly ma-ture pictures, shot by a mere teenager, ledthe way into his later artistic oeuvre.

In recent years Hans Gedda has onlyengagedmarginally in portraits. In order toencompass Gedda’s current oeuvre, the ex-hibition showed a selection of his still-lifesand a closely-related sculpture, The Soloist.Here, we also find parallels with Caravaggistimagery, since the still-life evolved into apainterly subject in its own right in the ear-ly NTth century. In Hans Gedda’s photogra-phy, genres constantly merge with one an-other. Similarly, the line between differentparts of the exhibition is also blurred. Is, forinstance, the photo of a saw blade, a nailand a shard of glass a still life or a self-por-trait. One thing does not exclude the other,as Gedda’s photographs are constantlytranscending boundaries.

Nationalmusei utställningskatalog nr STM

(Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no. STM)

Editorial committee: Eva-Lena Karlsson, Ingrid

Lindell and Magnus Olausson

Graphic design: Patric Leo

ISBN: VTUJVNJTNMMJUQTJP (English edition)

ISBN: VTUJVNJTNMMJUQSJS (Swedish edition)

Notes:

N. Lars Forssell, Bilder bakom kulisserna,

Fotolitteratur T, Helsingborg NVUO; Björn Nilsson,

Hans Gedda. Nuets ikoner. The Icons of Our Time,

the Lucida series Scandinavian Photographers

Classic and Contemporary R, Stockholm NVUU;

Bodil Malmsten, Cirkus Circus Cirque, Stockholm

NVVR; Hans Gedda: Dead Plates, Stockholm OMNP.

O. Hans Gedda, “Hans Gedda lär dig ta bättre

porträtt”, in Bästa fototipsen, Guy Jamais (ed.),

published by Foto och Filmteknik, Stockholm

NVTU; Hans Gedda, “Hans Gedda. En hängiven

mörkrumsarbetare”, in I mörkrummet. Del OK

Bengt S. Eriksson. Gerry Johansson. Tuija Lindström.

Björn Andersson. Ralph Nykvist. Hans Gedda.

Hans Hammarskiöld, Fotolitteratur NN, Hans

Alenius (ed.), published by Aktuell fotografi,

Helsingborg NVUR.

Exhibition curators

Eva-Lena Karlsson and Magnus Olausson

Working committee

Anne Dahlström, Eva-Lena Karlsson and Magnus

Olausson

Exhibition designer

Henrik Widenheim

Lighting designer

Jan Gouiedo

Exhibition technology and installation

The Technical Department at Nationalmuseum,

under the supervision of Lennart Karlsson

Graphic design

Agneta Bervokk

CAD manager

Joakim E. Werning

Conservation

Karin Wretstrand and Nils Ahlner


Anne Dahlström

Education officer

Jeanette Rangner Jacobsson

Exhibition catalogue

Hans Gedda: The Third Eye (English edition);

Hans Gedda: Det tredje ögat (Swedish edition)


Interior from the exhibition Hans Gedda, the still-lifes in the foreground.


NMR

As the name indicates, the source of inspi-ration for those European artists of differ-ent nationalities loosely referred to as Car-avaggisti, was the art of the Lombard mas-ter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio(NRTNÓNSNM). The pictorial world of thisartistic movement was examined through aselection of OV paintings from the Muse-um’s permanent collections. While these

include no paintings by the master’s ownhand, they contain a wide range of excel-lent works by his followers, many of whichhave been exhibited only rarely. At thesame time, the display can be seen as partof an ongoing search for new ways of pre-senting the permanent collections in therefurbished museum building due to openin OMNT. These have traditionally been ex-

ÉñÜ á Ä á í á çå ë Lã~ ë í Éê ë ç Ñ Ç~êâåÉ ë ë

få ÅçåàìåÅíáçå with the major retro-spective dedicated to Swedish photographerHans Gedda at the Royal Academy of FineArts in the winter of OMNPLOMNQ (see articleon p. NMN), the Nationalmuseum also pre-sented a small-scale exhibition of paintingsby artists of the NTth-century internationalCaravaggist movement, as a historical coun-terpoint to Gedda’s contemporary imagery.

Masters of Darkness

`~êáå~ cêóâäìåÇ`ìê~íçêI läÇ j~ëíÉê aê~ïáåÖë ~åÇ m~áåíáåÖë

R aÉÅÉãÄÉê OMNP Ó PM j~êÅÜ OMNQ

Fig. N Interior from the exhibition Masters of Darkness.


NMS

hibited chronologically and strictly accord-ing to national schools, but the exhibitionMasters of Darkness took a different ap-proach. An innovative pictorial languageintroduced in European painting aroundNSMM was the common thread runningthrough a series of thematic presentations,bringing together works by Italian, Spanish,French, Dutch and Flemish artists, active inItaly and elsewhere in Europe during thefirst half of the NTth century.

Few artists have had an effect compara-ble in scale and depth to that of Caravag-gio. His arrival in Rome in NRVO coincidedwith the election of Pope Clement VIII,and the papal city was destined to soon be-come the centre of international Car-avaggism. If the turmoil of the Reforma-tion and the growing dominance of the Eu-ropean nation states had diminished thepolitical and economic power of the papa-cy by NSMM, Rome was still the unrivalled

beam of light from a specific source, andaccentuated chiaroscuro that makes thewhole seem vital and alive. Naturalism andfantasy are in constant tension, lending theimages a special charge. In Rome untilNSMS – the date of his exile from the PapalStates after committing a murder – he exe-cuted a series of public and private worksthat would change the course of Europeanpainting.

The echo of Caravaggio’s revolution inpainting spread widely early on. In NSMP,the Dutch art critic Karel van Manderwrote about the artist, lauding his powerfulnaturalism. Following his flight fromRome, and even more after his death inNSNM, an increasing number of paintersadopted his manner, taking advantage ofmarket demand for Caravaggesque works.All those aspiring artists who flocked toRome from the beginning of the NSNMs un-til the end of the NSOMs, the decades thatsaw the influence of Caravaggio’s natural-ism reach its apex, were determined by themaster’s innovative way of painting. Manyof them left after a period of time and es-tablished strong Caravaggesque traditionselsewhere, for example, in the Dutch cityof Utrecht. The exhibition Masters of Dark-ness charted the spread of Caravaggio’s pic-torial innovations throughout Europe andthe creative energies it generated forroughly four decades. Caravaggism encom-passed a great diversity of artists who, withtheir varying artistic temperaments andcultural backgrounds, explored differentaspects of the master’s art.

By way of transition between the twinexhibitionsHans Gedda andMasters of Dark-ness, Domenico Fetti’s “portrait” of an el-derly man in the guise of a Classical Poetand aVanitas Still Life by an unknownNorthern European artist displayed on theentrance wall were compared and contrast-ed in a playful manner with Gedda’s pho-tographs of similar motifs (Fig. N). In theadjoining spacious gallery the exhibitedworks were then subdivided into thethemes of “Genre Painting”, “Saints andMartyrs”, “Biblical Stories”, “Still Life Paint-

artistic capital of Europe. Ecclesiastical andsecular patronage on a grand scale attract-ed scores of artists from all over Europe,based on parish censuses, as many as twothousand between NSMM and NSPM. Herethey became witness to a true revolution inpainting as the Northern Italian artists Car-avaggio and Annibale Carracci trans-formed Italian art, each in their own man-ner overturning the entrenched Manneriststyle that still dominated official commis-sions. By NSMM, with his first public worksfor the Contarelli Chapel in the French na-tional church of San Luigi dei Francesi,Caravaggio had become a universally ac-claimed master of the contemporary artscene. He created an expressive new picto-rial language, with naturalistically mod-elled figures depicted from life, a theatricalconstruction of narrative, the action in theforeground, a dark background to focus at-tention on subjects illuminated by a strong


Fig. O Interior from the exhibition Masters of Darkness.


NMT

ing” and the “History of Antiquity” (Fig. O),allowing us to witness the dissemination ofnew subjects and the transformation ofolder imagery under the master’s influ-ence. Large-format wall texts helped tophrase the hanging, as did the dramatic ef-fect of both the exhibition design and thecomplex lighting of the individual paint-ings. Texts on all works, audiovisuals, andfilms, made for an in-depth presentation ofthis part of the collections.

The opening section featured paintingswith genre motifs, reflecting in various waysa new type of gallery pictures introduced byCaravaggio and developed by BartolomeoManfredi and others (Fig. PF. Few Car-avaggisti succeeded in securing public com-missions on the competitive Roman stage,and many specialised instead in paintingsfor display in the private art galleries of apowerful new breed of collectors, bankers,princes, and cardinals. Inspired by thestock characters of contemporary populartheatre and picaresque novels, tavernscenes with half-length protagonists en-gaged in drinking and card-playing,amorous affairs, music-making, pick-pock-eting and fortune-telling, found a specialresonance with Netherlandish and Frenchartists, as exemplified by Nicolas Régnier’sSleeper Awakened by a Young Woman with Fireand Hendrick ter Brugghen’s companionpieces Girl Holding a Glass and Man Playingthe Lute. While warning against overindul-gence in sensual pleasures, such imageswould have been seen by sophisticatedNTth-century viewers as intensely humorousentertainment. Like Paulus Bor’s The FlowerVendor, based on a poem by Dutch authorJacob Cats (NRTTÓNSSM), these pictures re-flect the period’s prejudice against, and fas-cination with, an underworld of sociallymarginalised groups that included Romanias well as mercenaries, prostitutes, card-sharps and petty thieves. Another section ofthe exhibition was devoted to the newgenre of still-life painting in Caravaggio’sspirit, as interpreted by Roman andNeapolitan still-life specialists such as PietroPaolo Bonzi and Giovanni Battista Recco.


Fig. P and Q Interiors from the exhibition Masters of Darkness.


NMU

One of Caravaggio’s principal aims was toreform contemporary religious art, to giveit a new spiritual depth through the use ofan efficient new pictorial language definedby clarity and piety, one that correspondedto the spirit of Tridentine reforms. Onelong gallery wall presented examples ofCaravaggesque Counter-Reformation im-agery, focusing on individual saints andmartyrs as role models for the Catholicfaithful. Displayed at the centre of the wall,Francisco de Zurbarán’s iconic image ofChrist, The Veil of St Veronica, was flanked bythe Spaniard Jusepe de Ribera’s two largealtarpieces, St Paul the Hermit and The Mar-tyrdom of St Bartholomew (Fig. QF, and by a se-ries of half-length private devotional im-ages of penitential saints by, among others,Cecco del Caravaggio and Francisco Col-lantes. An apprentice and companion ofCaravaggio’s, the mysterious Cecco has re-cently been identified as the painterFrancesco Boneri. A short film about therecent restoration of his masterpiece ThePenitent Magdalene (Fig. R) was shown as

films, and video art. To further demon-strate these links a short film was shown aspart of the exhibition, featuring excerptsfrom a OMMR BBC interview with the Italian-American film director Martin Scorsesediscussing Caravaggio’s influence on hisown filmmaking. In connection with thetwin exhibitions Hans Gedda and Masters ofDarkness, the Nationalmuseum also pro-duced an app containing images of a selec-tion of exhibited artworks with accompany-ing texts, made available free of charge as adownload from the Nationalmuseum’swebsite, Google Play and iTunes.

Exhibition curators

Magnus Olausson and Carina Fryklund

Exhibition design

Henrik Widenheim and Joachim E. Werning

Lighting design

Jan Gouiedo

Graphic design

Agneta Bervokk

Conservation

Lena Dahlén and Britta Nilsson

App

Audioapps

Films

Fredrik Eriksson/Le Studio


Anne Dahlström

Education officer

Jeanette Rangner Jacobsson

part of the exhibition. A version of the sto-ry of Judith and Holofernes by AntivedutoGramatica, another early follower, formeda transition to a section of the exhibitiondevoted to multi-figure history paintingson biblical themes. In addition to MatthiasStom’s splendid altarpiece of The Adorationof the Magi, the display featured half-lengthgallery pictures by Flemish and Dutchartists not known to have visited Italy, in-cluding Jacob Jordaens, Lambert Jacobsz.,and Pieter Claesz. Soutman. Finally, as a re-minder that some of Caravaggio’s closestfollowers in fact operated in a highly plu-ralistic Roman context that presentedthem with multi-faceted artistic options,the exhibition concluded with a work inthe idealising classicist tradition represent-ed by the Carracci, Queen Artemisia of CariaBuilding the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus by aformer Caravaggist, the Frenchman SimonVouet.

Today’s visual culture contains wide-spread echoes of Caravaggist imagery invarious media, especially photography,


Fig. R Cecco del Caravaggio (Francesco Boneri), The Penitent Mary Magdalene.Oil on canvas, VV ñ NPR cm. Nationalmuseum, åã NOK


An Italian Architecture Library under the Polar Star:Nicodemus Tessin the Younger’s Collection of Books and Prints

j~êíáå läáå^ëëçÅá~íÉ mêçÑÉëëçêI ^ëëáëí~åí aáêÉÅíçê çÑ íÜÉ pïÉÇáëÜ fåëíáíìíÉ áå oçãÉ

Ü á ë íçêó ~åÇ íÜÉçêó ç Ñ ~êíLå á ÅçÇÉãì ë í É ë ë á å íÜÉ óçìåÖÉê Û ë Å ç ä ä É Å í á çå ç Ñ Äççâ ë ~åÇ éê á å í ë

NMV

Fig. N Daniel Marot, Plusieurs pensées utiles aux architectes,peintres, sculpteurs, orfèvres, jardiniers et autres,

The Hague NTMP.Nationalmuseum, åãÖ çêå SSRMK

Presumably Nicodemus Tessin’s copy, withCarl Gustaf Tessin’s name stamped on the binding.



NNM

taken up as a personal emblem of Charles XI, king of Sweden, inconscious rivalry with the sun of Louis XIV. The light from thestella polaris was perhaps less radiant than that of the sun, but thestar was more constant and had the advantage of being associa-ted with the geographical position of Sweden.

One of the minds behind the public image of the autocraticrule of Charles XI was the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Youn-ger.3 Tessin’s concern was to improve the standards of the visualarts in Sweden by using French and Italian models and by fillingthem with a national programme. In order to secure continuousaccess to the foreign models, he systematically collected prints,drawings and books. In this article, I will briefly present Tessinand his library and then discuss in particular how the architectused prints from the Roman publisher De Rossi as inspiration

I am constant as the northern star,Of whose true-fix’t and resting quality,There is no fellow in the firmament.Julius Caesar, III, i

få pÜ~âÉëéÉ~êÉÛë éä~ó , Julius Caesar’s arrogant refusalof the senators’ pleas seals his fate.1 But part of the picture is thatthe psychological characteristic that makes him unable to changehis mind – his constancy – was considered one of the chief virtuesof an early modern prince. Justus Lipsius’ De Constantia, the foun-ding text of neostoicism, was published in TR editions betweenNRUQ and NTUP.2 Towards the end of the NTth century, a popularversion of this practical philosophy inspired much of the politicalart of countries with autocratic rule. In NSUN, the Polar star was

Fig. O Daniel Marot, Design for a library interior from Plusieurs pensées utiles aux architectes, peintres, sculpteurs, orfèvres, jardiniers et autres (see Fig. N),Nationalmuseum, åãÖ çêå SSRMK



NNN

A large number of the items in the catalogue have been preser-ved in Swedish public collections, above all in the Nationalmu-seum and the Royal Library. They allow us to appreciate how Tes-sin used printed images not only for his design work but also forhis writings, such as the Treatise on Interior Decoration, a manus-cript from c. NTNT, published for the first time in OMMO.7 The to-pic was of particular interest to Tessin, but as there was no tradi-tion of writing in this field, there are few proper books under thisheading in his catalogue. Instead, the important titles are collec-tions of prints showing the designs of near-contemporaries suchas Jean Berain and Jean Le Pautre and the latter’s pupil DanielMarot. Most of these volumes survive in the Nationalmuseum inbindings with the name of Tessin’s son Carl Gustaf stamped onthe front cover. The second volume listed on page OS in Tessin’sNTNO catalogue is Daniel Marot’s Plusieurs pensées utiles aux archi-tectes, peintres, sculpteurs, orfèvres, jardiniers et autres, from NTMP (Fig.N). This recent publication would have been important to Tessin,who understood interior decoration as a field more dependenton fashion than architecture proper. One of the plates shows a li-brary designed by Marot at the end of the NTth century – a com-fortable room with an armchair with wings and a reading deskpositioned for light and warmth by the fireplace (Fig. O).8 Thefolio volumes are placed on three shelves, above and betweenwhich are shelves and sections for the quartos. Outsize formatsare kept in low cupboards below the shelves. On top of theshelves are globes and busts, presumably portraying the writersand philosophers of antiquity.

We don’t know with any certainty what Nicodemus Tessin’slibrary looked like, but a drawing by the architect dating fromc. NTNR shows a project or an ideal view of his own library, or pos-sibly even something approximating its historical appearance(Fig. P). The general disposition can be compared to that shownin Marot’s project. The tall spines are volumes with prints, kepton three shelves, while smaller books are kept close to the floor.On top of what must be the chimney-piece (although, confusin-gly, there seems to be further books in it), Tessin has placed amodel of an equestrian statue. We know that he owned a modelof Louis XIV on horseback, possibly the plaster reduction now inthe Nationalmuseum collections (Fig. Q). On top of the shelvesTessin has suggested decorative sculptures, very likely meant tobe representations of the wax models for trophy and abductiongroups commissioned from the French sculptors working at theRoyal Palace (Fig. R).9

Tessin corresponded with agents, principally in Paris, whoprovided him with prints, books and drawings. Of particular im-portance is the surviving correspondence with Daniel Cron-ström, a Swedish diplomat in Paris, who spent a large part of histime hunting down rare specimens for Tessin. The architect alsotried to keep an eye on the Italian market. During Tessin’s last vi-

and sources for his own creative work. I will conclude by conside-ring Tessin’s ambitions as an architect-collector in the context ofhis time.

Tessin’s father was a German-born architect with the samename – Nicodemus Tessin the Elder – who had settled in Swedenduring the final decade of the Thirty Years’ War. Through histraining in his father’s house, and during the years from the ageof NV to OP ENSTPÓNSTT) that he spent in Italy, the younger Tes-sin became steeped in the Roman architectural tradition and for-med a firm belief in the eternal values of its canon. The two fol-lowing years, from NSTU to NSUM, which he spent in France, didnot convince Tessin that the French had supplanted the Italiansas architects; but this sojourn familiarised him with the arts scenein the realm of Louis XIV and instilled in him a deep respect forFrench progress in garden design and interior decoration. Tocatch up with the latest developments, Tessin made one last Eu-ropean tour during NSUT and NSUU.4

The last journey was made in preparation for the greatesttask of Tessin’s career: the modernisation of the Royal Palace inStockholm, a huge, partly mediaeval pile in the middle of thecity. His assignment was to regularise and to carve out fashio-nable apartments within the older framework. But after a catas-trophic fire in May NSVT that almost completely destroyed theold castle, his job description changed: he was now to design anew palace and was given a free hand. Finished long after hisdeath, it became the work for which Tessin is best known.

During the relatively short period when the buildings he de-signed were actually being constructed, Tessin found that accessto books, prints and drawings of Italian architecture was indis-pensable. The images were not simply “sources”, but a compen-sation for the crippling absence from the Eternal City. Withoutthe stimulus of a steady flow of information from abroad, Tes-sin’s creative impulses dried up. He became an avid collector. “Ihave everything in the manner of interesting books and printsfrom Italy”, he wrote proudly in NTMT.5

In NTNO, Tessin published a catalogue in French of his collec-tions of books, prints and drawings.6 Organised according to sub-ject matter, the catalogue begins with three editions of Vitruvius,followed by Vignola in Italian, Dutch, French and German; andthen Palladio, Alberti, Scamozzi and Serlio. It continues to covermost titles printed in the field of art and architecture in Italy andFrance during the NSth and NTth centuries. Tessin’s cataloguemakes it possible to discern not only his artistic ideals, but alsothe variety of tasks that his position as Swedish surintendant entai-led: a French treatise on timber is listed before Filippo Baldinuc-ci’s biography of Bernini, and after a series of folios of engravingsof French landscape gardens follow pamphlets on cultivatingfruit trees, flowers and kitchen plants, making jam and raisingsongbirds.


large and contains many beautiful things, and it can be counted as one ofthe best books on architecture ever printed. It came out only this last year.10

Tessin could hardly have been more delighted with the first volu-me of the Studio d’Architettura Civile, published earlier the sameyear by Domenico de Rossi, which undoubtedly is the book refer-red to. Its range of subjects and the precision and beauty of itsprints corresponded exactly to the architect’s taste.

Not only did the gift of De Rossi’s new publication to Tessinmeet with his approval in a general way, it could also not havebeen timelier. In NTMO, the architect was working with the dra-

sit to Rome in NSUU, he had formed a personal acquaintancewith the publisher Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi, but since then,Tessin had gradually fallen out of touch with the developmentson the Italian art book market. In October NTMO, the Swedish ar-chitect thus experienced a pleasant surprise when he received anunforeseen gift. He writes to Cronström:

The Törnflychts’ luggage from Italy has arrived. ... The elder brother haspresented me with a thick volume that has been engraved in Rome, of theornaments of windows, doors, etc., of that which is most remarkable inRome, and of which is promised yet another volume. The first one is quite

NNO


Fig. P Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (NSRQÓNTOU), Ideal view of his own library, c. NTNR. Pen and brown ink, NVKR ñ OP cm. Nationalmuseum, åãÜ ÅÉäë NOMK


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wings for the new Royal Palace in Stockholm. In May NTMQ,Tessin wrote to the king that he had completed the drawings forthe palace; “all Plans, façades and sections of Your Majesty’s pala-ce, with all the particulars”.11 There are only a handful of dra-wings preserved from the design process.12 Even if we have littleinsight into the exact chronology, it seems reasonable to assumethat Tessin was engaged in the design process in the autumn ofNTMO, eighteen months before the presentation drawings were fi-nished. Thus, at the moment when he first opened the Studiod’Architettura Civile, he was looking for solutions to hundreds ofdetails for the vast Royal Palace of Stockholm.


The most obvious case where it is clear that a De Rossi print hasserved as Tessin’s direct source is the central window of the southfaçade of the Royal Palace. The location is conspicuous enough,but few have found it curious that the Pamphili dove should ap-pear over the grandest entrance to the main residence of theSwedish king. Jennifer Montagu notes it as an example of Tes-sin’s “unconcern for symbolism”.13 The window is clearly basedon plate SR in the first volume of the Studio, which shows one ofBorromini’s windows over the nave in S. Giovanni in Laterano,where garlanded herms support an entablature, the cornice ofwhich is broken by a semi-oval arch containing the sitting dove

Fig. Q Unknown French sculptor, Louis XIV on Horseback. Plaster, H SU cm.Nationalmuseum, åãëâ TQQK

Fig. R Jacques Foucquet the Elder (NSPVÓNTPN),Trophy Group, c. NTNM. Wax and wood, H QSKR cm.Nationalmuseum, åãëâ QPN.


with an olive-branch in its mouth (Fig. S). The dove in the Studioprint is reversed in Tessin’s finished drawings and in the print af-ter it. When the window was executed, many decades later, thesculptor interpreted the images freely and the dove flies throughthe air, thereby making its Pamphili parentage a little less noti-ceable (Fig. T).

A further example of Tessin using a motif taken from Borro-mini can be observed on the drawing and the related print forthe unexecuted Appeal Court (Hovrätt). The crowning atticconsists of a perspective with diminishing columns and a seatedstatue of Justice, flanked by two windows (Figs. U and V). Tessinhad already used the trompe-l’oeil colonnade as a crowning ele-ment in his own house. New features, however, are the two al-most square windows in the attic, the frames and shell décor ofwhich are modelled on Borromini’s celebrated windows for thethird, mezzanine storey of Palazzo Barberini, published in plateQN in the Studio (Fig. NM).

NNQ


The Studio provided Tessin with an unequalled access to detailedsolutions for windows and portals of Roman buildings, in platesof such intelligibility and precision that they could serve him asdirect models and perhaps be given to the draughtsmen in hisstudio. The publication gave him opportunity to study features ofRoman architecture that had not, for some reason, appealed orbeen known to him during his sojourns in the NSTMs and UMs,such as the quoted Borrominian windows in their uncomfortablyhigh positions.

Tessin’s delight when opening the first volume of the Studioin NTMO and his subsequent use of its plates in his design workshould be understood against a background at once trivial and si-gnificant: both the selection of architectural details in the Studioand the manner in which they were visualised corresponded tothe models and representational techniques that Tessin himselfhad studied and practised in Rome in the NSTMs. In a way, it wasa case of a 48-year-old being gratified on learning that the ideals

Fig. S Alessandro Specchi (NSSUÓNTOV), Part of the clerestory, S. Giovanniin Laterano, Rome. Engraving. Studio d’Architettura Civile, I, NTMO, plate SR.

Fig. T Central window of the south façade, the Royal Palace, Stockholm.


NNR

he had espoused in his early twenties were still alive. The eviden-ce supporting this particular argument can be found in the col-lection of study drawings that he brought back to Stockholm,now preserved in the Nationalmuseum.14 A particularly strikingcase is Tessin’s drawing dating from c. NSTR of one of the doorsof the sala in Palazzo Barberini, which conforms to the Studioprint (pl. QS) of NTMO in a number of ways: combination of planand elevation, shading, the position of the scale (Figs. NN andNO). Tessin and Alessandro Specchi, who was responsible for

most of the Studio plates, shared the experience of training inCarlo Fontana’s studio. Although a foreigner of an earlier gene-ration, it is clear that Tessin also shared the values and assump-tions of the culture out of which the Studio originated.

Great as Tessin’s appreciation of the Studio d’Architettura Civi-le was, it was arguably of less importance to him than other DeRossi publications. I will give only one example of how the Insi-gnium Romae templorum prospectus (NSUPÓNSUQ) stimulated him.15

Because of the Great Nordic war, the construction of the Stock-


Fig. U Claude Haton (c. NSTMÓNTPO) after Nicodemus Tessin the Younger,Project for an Appeal Court in Stockholm, c. NTNQ. Engraving. The façade of theAppeal Court (not executed) was designed as a screen to close the palaceproject to the west. The low, curved wings forming the outer courtyardwere built. Nationalmuseum, åãÖ ONLNVVTWOMK

Fig. V Claude Haton (c. NSTMÓNTPO) after Nicodemus Tessin the Younger(NSRQÓNTOU), Appeal Court. Detail of the attic with the window inspired byBorromini’s window for the top storey of Palazzo Barberini.Nationalmuseum, åãÖ ONLNVVTWOM EdetailFK

Fig. NM Alessandro Specchi (NSSUÓNTOV), Third-storey window of the west-ern façade, Palazzo Barberini, Rome. Engraving. Studio d’Architettura Civile,I, NTMO, plate QN.



NNS

one hand, and Francesco Venturini’s plates of S. Agnese in Piaz-za Navona on the other (Figs. NP and NQ). Different traits, fromthe way in which the elevation almost fills out the horizontal spa-ce available to the rendering of the wall sections and the fore-shortenings, indicate that Tessin was keen to present the projectin the mode of Venturini’s prints. Although the royal burialchurch in one sense belongs to the pan-European neo-Borromi-nian movement of the NUth century, it is nevertheless also clearthat the mode of graphic representation intends us to read theproject as a building stone in the august tradition of Roman ec-clesiastical architecture.

holm palace came to a standstill around NTNM. Tessin now beganto design a series of monumental buildings for central Stock-holm, conjuring up a triumphalist, Italianate surrounding forthe still unfinished Palace.16 Among the planned buildings was aroyal burial church, with a tall dome, bell towers and a classicalportico, based on a long series of international models. The pro-ject is presented in three drawings: façade elevation, section andplan, according to the system of representation of architecturepromulgated by the Roman Accademia di San Luca and codifiedin the Insignium Romae templorum prospectus. Particularly strikingare the similarities between Tessin’s elevation and section, on the

Fig. NN Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (NSRQÓNTOU), Door in the Salone,elevation and plan, Palazzo Barberini, Rome, c. NSTR. Pen and brown ink,grey and red wash, PN ñ OO cm. Nationalmuseum, åãÜ íÜÅ NUMQK

Fig. NO Alessandro Specchi (NSSUÓNTOV), Door in the Salone, PalazzoBarberini, Rome. Engraving. Studio d’Architettura Civile, I, NTMO, plate QS.



Tessin’s NTNO catalogue contains little from the architect’s ownpen apart from a brief preface. This page tells us what the cata-logue is intended for: on the one hand, it is to divert connois-seurs, those already initiated in the arts; on the other hand, it isto demonstrate the study, the application and the untiring col-lecting required if genuine knowledge of the arts is to be attai-ned. “If”, Tessin continues,

... monarchs were to offer the arts and sciences as much inclination andzeal, as the ignorant oppress them with their slander and their shamefulhypocrisy, we should soon view them in their splendour once again. In-

NNT

deed, it is for this very reason that they have only been seen to flourish inthe mightiest of dominions.17

The roles are clearly defined. It is the task of kings to support thearts, and this requires resources and freedom for individuals likeTessin. His collection is the tool with which he works and, if as-sembling it has incurred no little cost for his employer, this is be-cause everything that Tessin does is ultimately intended to reflecton the monarchy. Tessin suggests that magnificent secular po-wer, perhaps even absolute monarchy, is a requisite for the flou-rishing of the arts. When he speaks about the monarchs and the

Fig. NP Studio of Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, Project for Royal BurialChurch in Stockholm, Elevation of façade, c. NTNP. Pen and black ink, greywash, VRKR ñ SV cm. Nationalmuseum, åãÜ íÜÅ RPOQK

Fig. NQ Giovanni Francesco Venturini (NSRM–after NTNM), Façade elevation,S. Agnese in Piazza Navona, Rome. Engraving. Insignium Romae TemplorumProspectus ed. NUUQ, plate NT. Nationalmuseum.



“mightiest of dominions”, we must assume that Tessin refers toLouis XIV and Charles XII of Sweden – the radiant Sun and theconstant Northern Star. On Tessin’s initiative, the arts in Swedenwere organised on the direct model of the Surintendance des Bâti-ments du Roi. It could be maintained that Tessin’s control and in-fluence was in fact greater than that of his French counterparts.As one individual he took on many roles that in France were divi-ded between several individuals.

In architectural history, the first years of the NUth century aresometimes treated as part of the NTth and sometimes as the pre-lude to the NUth. An important aspect of Tessin’s activitiesaround NTMM as architect, collector and writer is that he wastrying to come to terms with how the architecture of NTth-centu-ry Rome – exceptional in every sense of the word – could betransplanted to the absolute monarchies of Northern Europe,with their harsh climate, flat and open terrain, sparse popula-tion, and different religion and system of government. He didnot arrive at a conclusive solution, but others would follow, andwe must see his efforts as a link in the chain connecting PapalRome with the grand schemes of NUth-century Berlin, Potsdam,Karlsruhe, and many other German cities and – further east –St Petersburg.

Notes:

NK A version of this article was presented in the session “Artists, architects,

libraries and books” at the NMNst annual conference of the College Art

Association in New York in February OMNP. I should like to thank the chairs

Sarah McPhee and Heather Hyde Minor, the panellists and the audience

for comments and suggestions. A longer version of the part of the article

discussing Nicodemus Tessin and the De Rossi prints has appeared as

“Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and the De Rossi books: a vision of Roman

architecture in eighteenth-century Sweden” in Studio d’Architettura Civile.

Gli Atlanti di architettura moderna e la diffusion dei modelli romani nell’Europa

del Settecento, Aloisio Antinori (ed.), Rome OMNP, pp. NURÓONN. For an

extended argument with full references, which space does not allow me to

include here, I refer the reader to this text.

OK Gerhard Oestreich, Geist und Gestalt des frühmodernen Staates, Berlin NVSV,

p. QN.

PK For Nicodemus Tessin as theorist and collector, see in particular the

four volumes published by the Nationalmuseum in the series Nicodemus

Tessin the Younger: Sources, Works, Collections (OMMMI OMMOI OMMQ, see below

notes QI SI TI and Martin Olin and Linda Henriksson, Architectural

Drawings I, Stockholm OMMQ) and the essays in Tessin: Nicodemus Tessin the

Younger, Royal Architect and Visionary,Mårten Snickare (ed.), Stockholm

OMMO.

QK Travel Notes NSTPÓTT and NSUTÓUU,Merit Laine and Börje Magnusson

(eds.), Stockholm OMMO.

RK Les relations artistiques entre la France et la Suède NSVPÓNTNU: Nicodème Tessin

le jeune et Daniel Cronström, correspondence (extraits), Roger-Armand Weigert

and Carl Hernmarck (eds.), Stockholm NVSQ, pp. PRUÓPRV.

SK Catalogue des livres, estampes & desseins du cabinet des beaux arts & des

sciences appartenant au Baron Tessin, Stockholm NTNO, Per Bjurström and

Mårten Snickare (eds.), Stockholm OMMM.

TK Traictè dela decoration interieure NTNT, Patricia Waddy (ed.), Stockholm

OMMO.

UK This print was used as a source for the late 20th-century reconstruction

of the library of William III at the palace of Het Loo. Daniel Marot had

made designs both for the interiors and the garden at Het Loo. Little

remained, however, of the NTth-century interiors and the restoration was

based on inventories (and other written sources), surviving paint layers and

three prints by Marot. See Adriaan W. Vliegenthart, “Probleme bei der

Ausstattung von Palais Het Loo, in Das Schloss und seine Ausstattung als denk-

malpflegerische Aufgabe, Florian Fiedler and Michael Petzet (eds.), München

NVVR, pp. QNÓQQ (here, p. QN).

VK Linda Hinners, De fransöske handtwerkarne vid Stockholms slott NSVPÓNTNP,

Stockholm OMNO, pp. OQUÓOROI ORUÓORVK

NMKWeigert and Hernmarck NVSQ, pp. PNUÓPNV.

NNK Stockholm, Riksarkivet, Skrivelser till Kungl. Maj:t från

Överintendentsämbetet, vol. PMVI NPMay NTMQ.

NOK Björn R. Kommer, Nicodemus Tessin der Jüngere und das Stockholmer

Schloss, Heidelberg NVTQ, pp. OMÓOP. In an inventory from c. NTPO of the

Tessin family’s collection of drawings, there are only PP drawings listed

(ff. RNÓRO) for the Stockholm palace, including the finished drawings on

which the prints were based (Stockholm, Nationalmuseum Archives, the

Artists Archive, C.G. Tessin, Biographica).

NPK Jennifer Montagu,“The Church Decorations of Nicodemus Tessin the

Younger”, in Konsthistorisk tidskrift, XXXI, NVSO, pp. NQ and OS (note QM).

NQK Perhaps as a security measure, Tessin listed the drawings before leaving

Rome in NSTT, so there can be no question of them being of a later date.

Even though the works of Michelangelo, Bernini and Borromini dominate,

many other examples by Roman cinque- and seicento architects complete

the picture together with a few antique monuments. Riksarkivet (National

Archives of Sweden), Stockholm, E RTNT, no. T.

NRK Another example is Fredrikskyrkan in Karlskrona, constructed

in the NTOMs, where the façade clearly is based on plate SO of the

Insignium Romae templorum prospectus, a view of the façade of S. Atanasio

dei Greci on via del Babuino.

NSK Ragnar Josephson, Tessins slottsomgivning, Stockholm NVOR EOMMO)

is the fullest treatment. For a synthesis in English, see Mårten Snickare,

“The Construction of Autocracy: Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and the

Architecture of Stockholm”, in Circa NTMM: Architecture in Europe and the

Americas, Henry A. Millon (ed.), New Haven and London OMMR, pp. SRÓTT.

NTK “Nicodemus Tessin the Younger”, preface, in Catalogue des livres,

estampes & desseins (above, note S).

NNUArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

Louis Gauffier’s Portrait of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt:A Political or a Conspiratorial Painting?

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he was the only person allowed to address the monarch usingthe familiar du. He was a man of handsome looks, which servedto reinforce a somewhat narcissistic disposition. According tothe Duchess Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta, though, he was not en-tirely perfect: “Armfelt had a pleasant appearance, but no grace

NNV

få ÅçååÉÅíáçå with Gustav III’s journey to the resort townof Spa in NTUM, the young baron Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt(NTRTÓNUNQ) became the principal favourite in the immediatecircle of the king. Like Gustav’s former closest confidant, thecrown equerry Adolf Fredrik Munck, Armfelt was a Finn, and

Louis Gauffier (NTSOÓNUMN), Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (NTRTÓNUNQ), NTVP. Oil on canvas, RM ñ SRKR cm. Nationalmuseum, åã OSRQK



NOM

spies for the regency government, including the secretary of lega-tion, Claes Lagersvärd.3

In March NTVP, Armfelt presented his credentials to the popein Rome. Florence was his next stop, in April, followed by Veniceand finally Genoa in August. During this time Armfelt served ashost to Princess Sofia Albertina, who was touring Italy incognita asthe Princess of Vasa. In July, moreover, he was reunited with hiswife and two children in Florence.Armfelt used his tour of Italy as an opportunity to establish im-

portant political contacts, in particular with Russian and Britishdiplomats. He had already written to the Empress Catherine II inlate NTVO, seeking her protection and the possibility of enteringRussian service. Her response had been positive. Armfelt’scontacts with the Russians were of particular interest to the spieswho were shadowing him. Little by little, his plans became clearerto the authorities in Stockholm, as did the circumstances sur-rounding the publication of the Prospectus. The intention was totighten the noose in Florence. That was where the head of mis-sion was to be arrested. By then, though, he had reached Naples,partly unaware of what was brewing. Only when a Swedish warshipdropped anchor there for the purpose of conveying him to Swe-den did he quickly realise his precarious situation. This was in themiddle of January NTVQ, and Armfelt had to flee Italy head overheels, with Piranesi and his associates in hot pursuit.The cat-and-mouse game was still under way during Armfelt’s

stay in Florence in September and October NTVP. It was now thathe placed a series of commissions with artists, seemingly without athought for the costs involved, despite in fact having to borrowthe money. Most of these artists were Frenchmen, all of them for-ced to leave Rome after the anti-French rioting and persecutionfollowing the execution of Louis XVI in January of that year. Oneof them, the original Bénigne Gagneraux, Armfelt had alreadymet in Rome during Gustav III’s visit. Another was the miniaturistAntonio Zuccarelli, who painted portraits of Armfelt and his fami-ly, intended for relatives back in Sweden.4 Others we know only byname, like a certain Lefevre, again a miniaturist. Two of the otherportraits Armfelt commissioned, though, proved all the morespectacular in character. The artist in one case was Louis Gauffier,who produced a painting that has long been in the Nationalmu-seum’s possession.5 The other work, by François-Xavier Fabre, hasunfortunately not been preserved. However, the subjects of seve-ral of these commissions and the story of their origins are knownto us from the many reports which Francesco Piranesi and his as-sistants wrote to the new authorities in Stockholm. Nothing wastoo trivial or uninteresting for them, especially if it breathed theslightest hint of a conspiracy on Armfelt’s part.By the time one of Piranesi’s spies, the engraver Giovanni Bru-

netti, arrived in Florence in November NTVP, Armfelt had alreadyleft the city. Brunetti was mainly trying to track down the manus-cript of the Prospectus and documents relating to it, although ini-tially he had little to show for his efforts. He did, however, mana-

of figure – the head of an Apollo on an ungainly body, and legslike an elephant’s, though he was very agile.”1 For over a deca-de, Armfelt was the most powerful individual at the court ofGustav III. He thus attracted the envy of many, as became clearnot least after the king’s death on OV March NTVO. Just beforehe died, Gustav seems to have realised that his brother, DukeCharles, may have known of a conspiracy against him. He the-refore made a codicil to his will. Through this document, whichhas not been preserved, Gustav is said to have compelled hisbrother, as regent, to retain the provisional government he es-tablished in the days immediately following the attack on himon NS March. The duke’s subsequent decision to annul anddestroy the dead king’s addition to his will has been interpretedin different ways by a succession of Swedish historians, fromElof Tegnér to Erik Lönnroth.2 From an earlier view that wassympathetic to Armfelt, and in fact took his side, more recentlyLönnroth has attempted a more nuanced, source-critical exa-mination of the historical reality.For the purposes of this essay, however, absolute historical truth

is of less importance, since our concern here is with Armfelt’s self-image, as reflected in a specific portrait. What is clear is that Arm-felt was well aware that his situation was precarious and that hewould soon end up out in the cold, despite his position as gover-nor of Stockholm. In July NTVO, therefore, he decided to requestfive months’ leave of absence. In reality, this marked the start of aten-year exodus. Those now in power nipped in the bud anythingArmfelt might have been planning to do during his leave by ap-pointing him head of mission in Italy in early September, therebysafely removing him from the political scene in Stockholm. Hehimself cannot have been unaware that that was their intention,but at the same time it gave him an opportunity to pursue, fromabroad, his own campaign against his enemies in the regency go-vernment. Armfelt’s wish for regime change in Sweden was to in-volve him both in negotiations in various quarters and in the pu-blication of a pamphlet in memory of the dead Gustav III. He didnot pen this political document himself; that would have been toodangerous. Instead, it was ghostwritten by a French emigrant, theAbbé Heral. The pamphlet was printed in Lucca in the summerof NTVP, with the title Prospectus d’un ouvrage, ayant pour titre Histoi-re de la vie et de l’administration de Gustave III, roi de Suède (Prospec-tus of a work, having as its title A History of the Life and Adminis-tration of Gustav III, King of Sweden). Its appearance provokedmuch resentment on the part of the regency in Stockholm andsuspicion immediately fell on Armfelt, who was placed under clo-se surveillance.The role of spymaster was played by one of Armfelt’s fellow di-

plomats in Italy, Francesco Piranesi, who was Swedish consul inRome. They had met ten years earlier during Gustav III’s Italiantour. Piranesi had adroitly trimmed his sails to the new politicalwinds, and now saw to it that the head of mission’s post was se-cretly opened. Other members of Armfelt’s staff also acted as



NON

tumn of NTVP, he had even entered into negotiations with Spainover the possibility of his commanding an army corps to fight inthat country’s service against the young French republic. This wasjust a passing fancy that came to nothing, but Piranesi’s spies mayvery well have got wind of it, and the news could certainly havecoloured the interpretation of Fabre’s equestrian portrait ofArmfelt.Given that Armfelt was now suspected of treason, the most in-

nocent of paintings could serve as evidence of his alleged conspi-racy against the regency government. But were all the suspicionsjustified? Gauffier’s portrait of Armfelt was, undoubtedly, a politi-cal painting. Its essential message, even if reduced to a simple de-claration of loyalty to the memory of the dead king, could escapeno one. The comparison to the murder of Julius Caesar was plain,not least given the similar historical fates of the two rulers, withCaesar assassinated on NR March and Gustav III fatally woundedon NS March. The parallelism is emphasised and in fact directlyspelt out by the Latin inscriptions, with Divo Caesare set alongsideDivo Gustavo, Regi Sveciae and I Caesare Virtute Tibi et Fato Similis. Inhis hands Armfelt holds, not a piece of paper on which to recordthe historical events that have unfolded, but Voltaire’s tragedy Lamort de César, although the sheets on the marble table could possi-bly cast him in the role of Clio, the Muse of history. This is a clas-sical interior, with a crimson mantle on the table as a historicaldisguise, and Armfelt, moreover, is seated on a “consular” chair,but he himself is in contemporary attire, clearly stressing that hiscontemplation is taking place in the present. Local colour is pro-vided by the view, and this we may assume was the artist LouisGauffier’s contribution. As a recurring background motif in hisportraits of fashionable tourists, he often used the most famoussilhouette of Florence, with the dome of the cathedral, or views ofthe immediate environs of the city. What is remarkable about theimage we see here of the park of Le Cascine is its striking fresh-ness. This is in reality a piece of plein air painting, before the ma-jor breakthrough of that genre. Several of the French artists inRome were in fact pioneers in the field, and Gauffier himselfmade a number of plein air studies. There are thus many differentlayers to his portrait of Armfelt.Apart from the original portrait, which was a gift to the British

minister in Florence, Lord JohnHervey, and his own personal ver-sion of it, Armfelt got Gauffier to make two replicas in NTVS.12 Thelatter, like Armfelt’s version, have remained in Finland. The origi-nal was acquired by the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm as a giftfrom Sophie Nordenfalk in NVOT. By then, it had led a long andadventurous existence. After Armfelt had left Florence, his goodfriend Lord Hervey had attended to his interests there and redee-med the work from the artist. Following Hervey’s premature dea-th in NTVS, his widow Elizabeth had remarried to Lord Seafort,and their son, Lord Howard de Walden, had inherited the por-trait. It was sold at Christie’s in 1868 to the British diplomat PhilipCurrie, who presented it to Armfelt’s grandson Carl Edvard Piper,

ge to ferret out all the portrait commissions Armfelt had placedbefore leaving Florence in October of that year. The hurry the sit-ter was in may possibly explain why Gauffier appears to have pain-ted, not from life, but from another portrait made by the artist An-ton Graff in Dresden earlier the same year.6

To begin with, Brunetti did not get to see the paintings forhimself, and had to make do with what he learnt from his infor-mants. One of them was Armfelt’s host Pio Lombardi at the Aqui-la Negra hotel,7 who was able to tell him that the FrenchmanGauffier had painted a portrait of the Swede, composed entirelyaccording to the sitter’s instructions. Armfelt, the hotelier said,was shown contemplating two busts, supposedly representingGustav III and the executed French king. Furthermore, he clai-med, the subject held in his hand a sheet of paper bearing a textwhich allegedly described the two monarchs as victims and politi-cal martyrs.On a later visit to Florence, Brunetti had the opportunity to

see the portrait for himself.8 He now provided another descrip-tion of it, one that, understandably, is more detailed and correct:“The said Baron [Armfelt] is portrayed in black, dressed alla fran-cese and adorned with all his orders. He is represented in a pensi-ve pose, with a couple of sheets of paper in his hand (as a kind ofsymbol of life), regarding the two busts of Gustav III and JuliusCaesar, the latter in the form of a bronze bust, placed on a gildedtable. In the background there is a view of Le Cascine, one of themost beautiful places in Florence.”9

Reporting Brunetti’s account of the portrait to his politicalmasters, Piranesi chose, for propaganda reasons, to create a kindof hybrid or historical harmonisation in keeping with their expec-tations. In his letter to Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm, a key figure inthe regency government, he claimed that, in the painting in ques-tion, Armfelt was contemplating the portrait busts of Gustav IIIand Louis XVI.10 Undeniably, this made Gauffier’s portrait seemfar more sensational than it really was, and therefore Piranesi sim-ply edited out the more nuanced interpretation. The murderedSwedish king, referred to by Reuterholm as the “persecutor”, washere placed alongside the executed French monarch, to better fitthe picture of Armfelt’s alleged counter-revolutionary conspira-cies against the regency in Stockholm. In Reuterholm’s imagina-tion, Gauffier’s painting could no doubt easily be transformedinto a scene in which Armfelt was penning his Prospectus before aportrait of Gustav III.To stir things up still further in Stockholm, Piranesi added a

paragraph claiming that Armfelt had commissioned anotherFrench artist, François-Xavier Fabre, to paint an equestrian por-trait of him as a general at the head of an army.11 With Reute-rholm’s propensity to see conspiracy at every turn, such a subjectcould easily be associated with treasonable activity. Armfelt hadbeen made a lieutenant general in spring NTVO, and already hadsome military experience from the war against Russia a few yearsearlier. During his stay in Florence in the late summer and au-


Notes:

NK Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok, Cecilia af Klercker (ed.), vol. IV,

Stockholm NVOM, p. OOP.

OK Elof Tegnér, Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt, I–III, Stockholm NUUPÓNUUT.

See also Erik Lönnroth, “Kodicillen till Gustaf III:s testamente”, in Scandia:

Tidskrift för historisk forskning, vol. SP ENFI NVVTI pp. PRÓQS.

PK Carl Lagersvärd (NTRSÓNUPS) was also portrayed by Louis Gauffier in

NTVV. The painting (NM TMOS) belongs to the Nationalmuseum’s

collections since OMMQ.

QK RA (National Archives of Sweden), E RNPR, Francesco Piranesi to Gustaf

Adolf Reuterholm, T December 1793 (with an attached intelligence report

dated P December). Cf. ibid., letter dated NU December NTVP (with annex

dated NQ December NTVP).

RK Fredrik Sander, who published a study of Piranesi as early as NUUM,

explored the genesis of Louis Gauffier’s painting, but with little under-

standing of how political machinations affected the way the portrait was

read (Fredrik Sander, Francesco Piranesi: en svensk konstagent och minister i

Rom: ett bidrag till belysningen af högmålsprocessen mot baron Gustaf Mauritz

Armfelt, Stockholm NUUM, p. NQ).

SKMarja Supinen has refuted the earlier erroneous reference to a myste-

rious “Japy”, who was in fact none other than Anton Graff. (Marja Supinen,

“Om några porträtt av Gauffier, Graff och Fabre”, Historisk Tidskrift för

Finland, vol. UO EPFI NVVT, p. PNV.) Cf. Pontus Grate, French Paintings, II,

Eighteenth Century, Stockholm NVVQ, pp. NRSÓNRT, n. P). The alleged haste

surrounding the production of Gauffier’s portrait can be compared with

Armfelt’s own remarks in a letter to a female friend: “J’espère que la copie

qui fait Gauffier de mon portrait, sera aussi bien que l’original sans quoi je

suis prêt à lui donner une séance pour la tête.” (RA, E RNPV, Gustaf

Mauritz Armfelt to Ann Hatton, dated Naples, OU December NTVP.)

TK RA (National Archives of Sweden), E RNPR. Dispatch from Giovanni

Brunetti, November NTVP.

UK Ibid.

VK Ibid.: “il Ritratto del do Barone vestito di nero alla francese ornato di

tutti gl’ordini in atto pensieroso, con una carta in mano (Emblema di

descrivere la vita) d’avanti, che guardando li due Busti di Gustavo III et

Giuglio Cesare (ed ora si e meglio diziffrato il secondo) espresi à guisa di

Bronzo sopra d’un tavolino dorato: in fondo del meda quadro vi é

rapresentato la veduta delle cascine, uno delli belli siti Firenzi.”

NMK RA, E RNPR, Francesco Piranesi to Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm,

NN December NTVP.

NNK Ibid.

NOK A detailed account of the complex issue of the different versions and

copies of Gauffier’s portrait can be found in Supinen NVVT, pp. POPÓPPR.

NPK Ibid. Cf. Grate NVVO, p. NRS.

NQK Johan Albrekt Ehrenström, Stadsrådet Johan Albrekt Ehrenströms

efterlemnade Historiska Anteckningar, vol. II, Uppsala NUUP, p. QQQ. Of these

three paintings, Aminoff’s has been preserved at Rilax Manor in Finland,

while Ehrenström’s and Armfelt’s own ended up at Sveaborg; cf. Supinen

NVVT, pp. POQÓPOR.

NRK Ehrenström NUUP, pp. QQQÓQQR.

NSK Ibid.

the Swedish minister in London. Subsequently, the painting pas-sed by inheritance to Sophie Nordenfalk, née Piper, at Blekhem.13

The other three paintings appear to have found their wayhome through the efforts of Armfelt’s wife, Countess Hedvig Dela Gardie. Armfelt’s close confidant, Johan Albrekt Ehrenström,recounts in his “Historical Notes” that, of these three versions ofthe portrait, one (Armfelt’s own) was intended for the sitter’swife, one for his friend Aminoff and the last for Ehrenström him-self.14 He continues: “During her visit to me at the fortress of Wax-holm, the Countess Armfelt told me that she had brought the ver-sion intended for me to Stockholm, and when she later sent it tome, she wrote that it could at least have such value in my eyes aswas lent to it by the bust of King Gustav III. I was in a quandary asto how to answer her courteous letter without betraying my re-sentment towards the giver.”15

This was undoubtedly a delicate gift to receive if you were loc-ked up in a fortress, convicted of involvement in the so-calledArmfelt conspiracy. But Countess Armfelt was at least as brave her-self, as Ehrenström also recalls:

It caused no little surprise when, some time after this, the Countess Armfeltwas appointed governess to the newborn Crown Prince Gustav. She was ac-cordingly given a room in the Royal Palace, in which the king, the queenand the dukes, together with the duchess and the princess, often gathered.Her husband was still proscribed at this time. His name was posted up out-side the Stockholm jail and in all the major towns of the realm. … Yet theCountess Armfelt put up his portrait over the sofa in the large salon, hungwith red damask, in which she received the royal family and the court.People praised her courage, but found the comparison between the place inwhich her husband’s portrait hung and that still occupied by his publiclyinsulted name strange in the extreme.16

These were indeed strange times in the history of Sweden and therest of Europe: one day governor of the capital, the next an outla-wedminister on the run. In the feverish mood gripping both Swe-den and the continent in NTVP, as new values were pitted againstold, even an intimate, almost miniature-like example of “finepainting” like the portrait of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt could beco-me political dynamite. It would be a mistake to read Gauffier’spicture simply as a pre-Romantic, theatrical portrait of the Gusta-vian Armfelt, absorbed in contemplation of a bust of the deadking. The work also touched a raw political nerve, as Armfeltmade himself the advocate of a legitimate regency government,prescribed by Gustav III himself, but set aside by the Duke-RegentCharles. There was some justification, therefore, for the agitationPiranesi’s intelligence reports must have provoked in Stockholmwhen the subject of Armfelt’s portrait came up. Louis Gauffier’spainting carried a clear political message, undoubtedly reinfor-ced by the context in which it came into being – but did that makeit a conspiratorial work?

NOO



An Exceptionally Protracted Affair:The Nationalmuseum’s Acquisition of Sergel’s Collections

of Drawings and Prints, NUTRÓNUTS

räÑ `ÉÇÉêä∏Ñ_^I pÉåáçê `ìê~íçêI mêáåíë ~åÇ aê~ïáåÖë

Ü á ë íçêó ~åÇ íÜÉçêó ç Ñ ~êíL ë ÉêÖÉä Û ë Å ç ä ä É Å í á çå ç Ñ Çê~ï áåÖ ë ~åÇ éê á å í ë

NOP

lå ~ ÑêÉÉòáåÖ ÅçäÇ Saturday at the end of February NUNQ,Sweden’s perhaps most celebrated and internationally renownedsculptor, Johan Tobias Sergel, passed away at the age of TP yearsand Smonths in the residence provided for him by the Crown inHötorget in Stockholm. The building, situated by the remains ofan old royal hippodrome (originally constructed entirely of tim-ber, but replaced in the NSOMs, during the reign of Gustav IIAdolf, with a more permanent brick and stone edifice), was de-signated as “Banan [The Track] no. RRQ ½” in the official pro-perty register of the city. After Sergel’s death, the house conti-nued to serve as a studio and residence for the sculptors who suc-ceeded him as professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of FineArts. The first of these was Sergel’s own favourite among his stu-dents, Johan Niklas Byström (NTUPÓNUQU), and the last John Bör-jeson (NUPRÓNVNM), who is pictured in Sergel’s former work-shop, just before his death, in a number of photographs preser-ved in the archives of the Stockholm City Museum (FigK N).

Until just short of the mid NVRMs, the sculptor’s residence re-mained virtually intact as a living memory and monument to alost age amidst the bustle of central Stockholm (Fig. O). Over thelast forty years of its existence, it provided classrooms, studios, ac-commodation and other facilities for students at the Royal Swe-dish Academy of Fine Arts. After that, the excavators arrived withtheir gaping jaws to clear the way and lay the foundations for to-day’s high-rise buildings, the “Hötorget skyscrapers”, which roseup from the end of the NVRMs to the later part of the NVSMs inwhat used to be called the “Lower Klara district”.

Sergel appears to have fallen asleep peacefully in the presen-ce of his two loyal servants, his conscientious valet Lars Renströmand his dependable maid Christina Stenberg (generally referredto as Kristin). His physician Carl Henrik Wertmüller (NTROÓNUOV) may possibly also have been in attendance. The year befo-re Sergel’s death he had made a final diagnosis, concluding thatthe sculptor, with his widely noted obesity and severe ailments ofthe joints, was suffering from dropsy, or what would nowadays becalled a serious circulatory disorder. This put a heavy strain on

Fig. N The sculptor John Börjeson in Sergel’s former studio, NVMN.Stockholm City Museum.



NOQ

...my entire collection of pictures and Books, Original models in terracotta.Esquisses [sketches] in clay or wax … vases, plasters, my bronzes, Marblepieces begun or completed. All that is in my large studio and Cabinet, thelarge Group of Psyche and Cupid excepted, which belongs to the King.Likewise my small collection of engraved and unengraved rings, my snuff-boxes of gold or tortoiseshell, my gold pocket watch, and my two travellingboxes. I also bequeath to my son all my silver …2

What the document describes as “ritningar” – a word now gene-rally used to refer to architectural or design drawings, but in rea-lity including all the artistic drawings Sergel himself had made,collected or received as gifts from other artists over his career ofalmost sixty years as an artist and sculptor – were also to go to hisson, along with his collections of “copper pieces”, or prints.

Sergel’s internal organs – especially his heart, lungs and kidneys– and meant that he was under the constant supervision of hisdoctor.1

The sculptor had already made his will on NR June NUNO, du-ring a short visit by his son Gustav to his Stockholm home. Thedocument – witnessed by two of Sergel’s close friends in his ad-vancing years, the architect Carl Fredrik Sundvall (NTRQÓNUOV)and Birger Fredrik Rothoff (NTRVÓNUPN) of the College of Mi-ning – makes it clear that his son was to inherit the lion’s share ofhis assets. As well as Sponga – the country estate in Ärila parish,near Eskilstuna, which Sergel had acquired for him at great ex-pense earlier that spring, on OQMarch – he was, according to thewill, to have full rights of possession and disposition over:

Fig. O Sergel’s former residence in Hötorget, c. NVRM. Stockholm City Museum.



NOR

sion in response to a newspaper advertisement placed in NUUQ bythe then Board of theMuseum, calling onmembers of the publicto get in touch regarding any busts or portrait medallions in par-ticular, sculpted or modelled by Sergel, which they had in theirpossession:

Living at Spånga at the time was the Widow, since deceased, of TobiasSergel’s only son. She had living with her O sons, who were then Lieute-nants, and a daughter, unmarried at that time, who later married Gene-ral von Vegesack, and who has now passed away … It was the elder Lieu-tenant Sergel who was most interested in the works of art. He had a num-ber of portfolios containing excellent old prints, a large quantity of dra-wings by Ehrensvärd, Tobias Sergel, Abildgaard and others, and a collec-tion of letters from Ehrensvärd to Tobias Sergel, furnished with drawings.

One has to ask why Sergel virtually disinherited his daughter,Gustav’s just one year younger sister Johanna Carolina Elisabeth(known generally to the family as Lisette), in this way as far as hiscollected art treasures were concerned, although the will does sti-pulate that she was to “share and share alike” with him as regardsthe rest of their father’s estate.

There were probably not just one, but several possible rea-sons why the otherwise so generous Sergel should so one-sidedlyhave favoured his son. First of all, Gustav was the apple of his eye,the child long awaited until he finally became a father in NTVO, atthe age of RO. And second, there was a circumstance vaguely hin-ted at in the ageing Sergel’s correspondence with his son, and inthe NUNM population registers of the city of Stockholm. From the-se sources it emerges that, in the sculptor’s final years, his daugh-ter was lodged with a spinster living nearby, “Mademoiselle Fre-drica Georgii”, recorded as residing in the Klara and LowerKungsholmen district; though with the additional remark thatthe girl was still to be regarded as “registered at the address of MrSergel, Surveyor to the King’s Household”.3

Sergel was in addition reluctant to divide up the collectionshe had assembled over a long lifetime as an artist, preferring togather them together in one place for posterity. What is more, inthe enlightened NUth century and long after that – right down tomodern times – there was still a widespread misconception thatwomen were by their nature and character coquettish, generallywasteful and incapable of managing assets.4

While the Swedish state managed within a short space oftime, just a year after Sergel’s death, to raise the necessary fundsto acquire from his estate a large proportion of what was judgedto be his invaluable sculptural work, it would, symptomatically,be almost fifty years before there was any real awareness of andinterest in his less conspicuous, but at least as important, collec-tions of drawings and, in some cases, truly unique prints.

Discovery of Sergel as a DraughtsmanThe first time these treasures attracted serious attention waswhen the Society for Scandinavian Art (Föreningen för NordiskKonst), founded in NURU – the same year as Sergel’s son and resi-duary heir Gustav (Fig. PF passed away – was planning an exhibi-tion in Stockholm a few years later, devoted to the sculptor’s dra-wings and collections of prints. To that end, the society’s youngsecretary A. G. Ekwall (later mayor of Strängnäs and a districtjudge in the north of Sweden) travelled with a drawing tutor cal-led Herrlin by steamer from Riddarholmen in Stockholm viaTorshälla to Eskilstuna, and thence by hackney carriage to Spon-ga, in order to examine and select, on the spot, the works to bepresented to a wider audience in the capital.

In a letter written much later to a former Nationalmuseumemployee, the senior civil servant and academician Nils FredrikSander (NUOUÓNVMM), Ekwall relates his recollections of the occa-

Fig. P Sergel’s son Gustav, c. NURM. Photo by A. Zetherström, Eskilstuna.Private collection.


tionalmuseum, though the building of the latter would not becompleted until NUSS. The Museum’s first move appears to havebeen to write to the heirs, asking them to draw up an inventory ofall the drawings and prints left by the sculptor which were intheir possession.

This is made clear, for one thing, by the reply that was recei-ved in the form of a list roughly A3 in size, now slightly yellowed,which is preserved as a loose sheet among the Prints and Dra-wings Department’s inventories, and which still bears the tracesof having been folded first down the middle and then a furtherthree times along the edges, to fit the standard letter format of

These letters, the tone of which was Cynical (not to say downright filthy, touse a baser word), showed that very intimate relations had existed betweenSergel, Ehrensvärd, who was then living at Dömestorp in Skåne (or Hal-land), and Abildgaard in Copenhagen.

The majority of the drawings and prints were lent for exhibition inStockholm by the aforementioned society and subsequently returned toLieutenant Sergel.5

The Stockholm exhibition, apparently held a few years into theNUSMs, seems to have been a success, and one that attracted theinterest of the future officers and board members of the new Na-

NOS


Fig. Q Letter from Edla Amalia Sergel to the Board of the Nationalmuseum in NUSQ. Nationalmuseum Archives.


NOT

the day (Fig. Q). It was, it seems, the then still unmarried daugh-ter Edla Amalia Sergel (NUOPÓNUUN), mentioned in Ekwall’s let-ter to Sander and later married to General Ernst von Vegesack(NUOMÓNVMP), who signed the document on NO December NUSQat Helleberga – one of the many estates under Sponga Manor.

This list is incomplete, however, and also too abbreviated togive a precise idea of how many sheets were still kept by the fami-ly in their original portfolio boxes and ribbon-tied binders afterSergel’s son Gustav had died on the estate on PMarch NURU. Theproperty passed by inheritance to Gustav’s widow Carolina Mag-dalena (NTVOÓNUTR), the daughter of a prosperous Walloon fa-mily of brewers, the Dubois, in Stockholm, but was managed byone of Gustav’s elder sons, Birger Fredric Sergel (NUOMÓNVMQ).This was presumably the elder Lieutenant Sergel mentioned byEkwall in his letter to Sander as the person most interested in theworks of art left by the sculptor.

For more exact details of the total number of loose drawingsand prints originally left by Sergel to his son and then retained bythe family in the home of Gustav’s widow (Fig. R) and their largebrood of nine children in all, we must turn to the minutes andother documents preserved from the monthly meeting of theNationalmuseum Board on Q October NUTR, when, after a leng-thy period of deliberation, a decision was at last taken to acquireselected parts of the collection (see Appendix on p. NPN).6

The Nationalmuseum Finally Acquiresthe Works in October NUTRFrom a letter hastily composed to the Board of the Nationalmu-seum on OR September NUTR and signed by the previously men-tioned General Ernst von Vegesack “on behalf of the heirs to theSergel estate”, just a week before the acquisition was officially dis-cussed at its meeting on Q October, it emerges that there were atotal of almost OIMMM loose drawings and hundreds of prints,spread over OO portfolios numbered from M to ON. We also seethat what were described as autograph works of Sergel comprisedsome NIOTR drawings in all, mostly preserved in their originalportfolios, which had beenmarked in the sculptor’s own day withthe numbers N to P (Fig. S) and T to NO.

The other portfolios contained his collections of prints, theolder drawings by other artists which he had collected, and thematerial he had received as gifts from his contemporaries – fel-low artists, colleagues and friends – at various times during hisartistic career.

Among the sheets in portfolio no. NR there were NQQ of oldmaster drawings, often furnished with more or less fanciful attri-butions to real giants of art history such as Leonardo, Raphael,Michelangelo and Dürer, but also including some entirely au-thentic works – such as a fully worked-out sketch by Rembrandtshowing the blind Homer, in the autumn of his life, reciting one


of his two famous epic poems, the Iliad or the Odyssey, from me-mory to a scribe (Fig. T).7 In the same portfolio, Sergel kept al-most thirty sheets with what he considered the best of the dra-wings he had accumulated from his contemporaries during hisyears of study in Italy in the NTTMs (Figs. U and V).8

Portfolios Q and R are described as containing QQP drawingsby his later very close and admired friend, Admiral of the FleetCarl August Ehrensvärd (NTQMÓNUMM). In addition, there werePT illustrated letters, which Sergel received above all as part of anexchange of thoughts between them in words and drawings. Thiswas in connection with the sculptor’s stay with Ehrensvärd at Dö-mestorp Manor in southern Halland in NTVSÓNTVT, on a journey

Fig. R Carolina Magdalena Dubois, married to Sergel’s son Gustav,c. NUSM. Photo by R. Dahllöf’s studio. Private collection.


from Stockholm to visit an old student friend from his years inRome, the court painter Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard (NTQUÓNUMV), in Copenhagen.9

Numbers NT and ON contained, in addition to drawings bythe teachers of his youth in Stockholm, Pierre-HubertL’Archevêque (NTONÓNTTU) and Jean Eric Rehn (NTNTÓNTVP), anumber of more or less hasty sketches by Giuseppe Cades(NTRMÓNTVV) and Johann Heinrich Füssli (NTQNÓNUOR), friendsfrom his student days in Rome in the NTTMs. Furthermore, therewere the sheets which Sergel, as a professor at the Academy inStockholm following his return from Italy, had received in ex-change or as gifts from the leading Swedish artists of his time, col-leagues and personal friends of his during the Gustavian period.Notable among them were Louis Masreliez (NTQUÓNUNM), Louis

NOU


Jean Desprez (NTQPÓNUMQ), Pehr Hilleström (NTPPÓNUNS) andElias Martin (NTPVÓNUNU). But there were also drawings andprints by students Sergel had taught or met, such as Jonas Åker-ström (NTRVÓNTVR) and Pehr Hörberg (NTQSÓNUNS), the self-taught son of a Småland farmer.

From the letter sent by von Vegesack just before the Natio-nalmuseum Board reached its decision on Q October NUTR, wealso see that Sergel’s descendants were prepared to sell, as asingle lot and for a total of VIUMM Swedish kronor, almost all theloose drawings and prints remaining in the family’s possession.Unfortunately, then as now, the Museum lacked state funding ofits own for acquisitions and therefore had to beat the price downby almost half, to RIPMM kronor, and to pick and choose amongthe portfolios on offer.

Given this situation, the Nationalmuseum’s strategy seems tohave been to concentrate on saving material judged to be in dan-ger of being scattered beyond the country’s borders, but also dra-wings that it was considered imperative to retain on account ofthe artists’ intimate and friendly relations with the sculptor. Asfar as possible, therefore, the Museum attempted to secure all ofthe NTM sheets contained in portfolio NR, mentioned above, inwhich Sergel kept his entire collection of old and more recentmaster drawings. Another priority was to acquire all the dra-wings, including the PT letters, in portfolios Q and R which Sergelwas stated to have collected from his friend Ehrensvärd, as well asthe sketches and works in portfolios NT and ON that he had recei-ved as gifts from his teachers, from some of his friends in Rome,and later from colleagues and students during his time as profes-sor at the Stockholm Academy.

Regrettably, to a corresponding degree, the Museum had toforgo a number of the portfolios which, by and large, containedonly the sculptor’s own drawings and his collections of prints. Ittherefore decided quite simply to refrain from buying the portfo-lio marked as no. N, with an unspecified number of drawings bySergel. Likewise portfolios T to NN, containing hundreds ofsheets of sketches and studies drawn on various occasions and invarying techniques, a few of them watercoloured too, if othersources are to be believed.

What the Nationalmuseum did purchase in toto, however,were the OQO sheets of portraits and caricatures kept in portfolioO. Likewise, the TR sheets described as “croquis” in portfolio P,and the more than PMM which Sergel had kept in portfolio NO, la-belled as “esquisses”, or sketches. In all, almost SOM autographdrawings by the sculptor were acquired from his estate, for a totalof NIMMM kronor – an average price of around N krona SM öre persheet. Prior to the sale, his descendants carefully inscribed thesesheets on the reverse with consecutive numbers in ink, to whichan officer of the Museum has added, in pencil between obliquestrokes, particulars of the sculptor’s portfolios in which they ori-ginally belonged (Fig. NM).

Fig. S Original portfolio marked no. PI containing Johan Tobias Sergel’sown drawings. Nationalmuseum.


NOV

Following such a large and significant acquisition, comprisingmost of the fruits of Sergel’s efforts as a collector and what theNationalmuseum itself had judged to be and chosen as a repre-sentative selection of his autograph drawings, one could be forgi-ven for thinking that the Museum’s employees would immediate-ly have set to work systematically processing and listing the entirecollection, item by item and sheet by sheet, in the accession led-gers. This did happen, after a fashion, with the hundred or so

prints which the Museum only officially acquired from the estatethe following year, NUTS, and with the portfolios containing Ser-gel’s collections of master drawings and of works by his teachersand by friends, fellow artists, colleagues and students.10 But whenit came to his own drawings, a very different, more brutal anddrastic approach appears to have been taken, lumping them alltogether, seemingly quite provisionally and summarily, in groupsentered in pencil in the NUTR inventory of drawings.11 This sug-


Fig. T Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (NSMSÓNSSV), Homer Dictating to a Scribe. Pen, brush and brown ink, heightened with white, NQU ñ NTM mm.Nationalmuseum, åãÜ NSTTLNUTRK



NPM

enclosed between old NVth-century, grey rag-paper covers withthe word “Svinozza” – “Sheer filth”, in a modern translation –printed in large black-ink letters on the front.12

gests that staff either did not have time to immediately gothrough the large body of material when it was acquired, or al-ternatively – and perhaps more likely – that they wanted to reviewit in more detail, chiefly to sift all the drawings deemed offensiveor openly and provocatively erotic from the more “presentable”material. Presumably, this was with a view to placing the formerin portfolios only intended to be shown to a more limited circleof scholars, and not to the public at large.

These drawings were not individually accessioned until NVRT,under special Z numbers. As recently as the early NVUMs, howe-ver, a last remnant of the coarsest drawings remained completelyuncatalogued in a “toxic portfolio” that was kept hidden away,

Fig. U Johann Heinrich Füssli (NTQNÓNUOR), Sergel at Work in his Studio in Rome. Pencil, pen and brown ink, brown wash, NVV ñ OTN mmKNationalmuseum, åãÜ NTSNLNUTRK



NPN

AppendixExtract from the minutes of the meeting of the Nationalmuseum Board on4 October NUTR. Bound in volume ^N^WT in the Museum’s Archives

Present: Director General v. Dardel; Mr Scholander, Curator; MrBoklund, Surveyor to the King’s Household; Baron Nordenfalk;Professor Kjellberg

§ PK The works of art offered for sale according to the attachedlist (see Annex B on p. NPO) were reviewed. The Board saw fit topurchase on behalf of the Museum: from Major General BaronErnst von Vegesack, in his capacity as representative of relativesof the sculptor of statues J. T. Sergel, “Biblical Subject”, miniatu-re painting on wood, by Gio. Bellini at a price of … NMM kronor.In addition, the Board decided to select from the collection ofportfolios containing drawings, prints etc. which belonged to thesculptor Sergel, also offered for sale by Baron v. Vegesack, thenumbers mentioned below, and to offer the following sums forthem:Portf. No. NR old master drawings OIMMM krPortf. Nos. OI P and NO Sergel’s autograph drawings NIMMM krPortf. Nos. Q and R Ehrensvärd’s ditto NIMMM krPortf. No. ON drawings by Deprez, Masreliezand others (OQN sheets) PMM krOf Nos. MI NQI NSI NV and OM, containing prints,a selection of NOM RMM krPortf. No. NT drawings and Hörberg’setchings (NNQ sheets) RMM kr

Total RIPMM kr

Fig. V François-André Vincent (NTQSÓNUNS), Achilles Drives his Enemiesinto the River Scamander. Black chalk, heightened with white, on paper,QVP ñ PUM mm. Nationalmuseum, åãÜ NSVMLNUTRK

Fig. NM Annotation on the reverse of one of Sergel’s drawings, showing thatit was kept as no. NSP in portfolio O. Nationalmuseum.



Annex BLetter dated OR September NUTR from Ernst Mattias Peter von Vegesack,addressed to the Board of the Nationalmuseum prior to its decision of QOctober:

On behalf of the heirs to the Sergel estate, I have the honour ofoffering for sale to the Nationalmuseum the following works ofart, comprising both the autograph drawings, caricatures, Cro-quis and Esquisses of J. T. Sergel, Sculptor and Surveyor to theKing’s Household, and other drawings by foreign and domesticmasters, as well as prints, belonging to his collectionsPortfolio No. NR Drawings by Foreign MastersNTM sheets OIRMM krPortfolio No. NI OI PI TÓUÓVÓNMÓNN and NO J. T. Sergel’sautograph drawings, Croquis and Esquisses etc.NIOTR sheets QIMMMPortfolio No. Q and R Count Ehrensvärd’s worksQQM sheets, PT letters and P drawings offunerary monuments NIMMMPortfolio No. NT Drawings by Swedish Mastersand Hörberg’setchings NNQ sheets UMMPortfolio No. MI NQI NSI NV and OMMiscellaneousolder and more recent Etchings TOP plates NIMMMPortfolio No. ON Drawings by Desprez, Sergel, L’arschevequeMasreliez and Fuseli etc. and prints OQN sheets PMMPortfolio No. NP Architecturaldrawings etc. VR sheets OMM

Total VIUMM kr

Stockholm, OR September NUTRErnst von Vegesack

Final Decision on the MatterOf the former Sergel collection offered for sale, the following drawings andprints have been purchased, following a process of selection and in accor-dance with the minutes of the meeting of the Nationalmuseum Board on QOctober NUTR and the Letters Patent of NOMay NUTS:

Portfolio No. NRDrawings mainly by old masters, namely

Sp. Gibelin (O signed) PJul. De Parme (signed) QParmaggiano ON. Poussin (P signed) RGuido Reni EN signed) NCarracci, Annib. (N signed) UPolidoro RTitian QTempesta, Ant (N signed) OBouchardon, E. (P signed) Q

Giulio Romano PPaolo Veronese NBapt. Franco NPasseroti (N signed) OTintoretto (N signed) PLuca Cangiasi (signed) QLeon. da Vinci (signed) NAndrea di Salerno NCallot (?) P

Carried forward SM

Brought forward SMElisabet Sirani NAllegrini NRomanelli NLigorio & Anon. OAlgardi NVannias (?) (N signed) PR. Taurini NA. Dürer ? (signed) NCiro Ferri NC. Bourdon OGiorgione & anon. OMola (signed) NJac. Matham NP. di Cortona NC. Dolci NLud. Cioili [Cigoli] NFr Zucchero NF. Salviati & Anon. NA. Boscoli NPalma NBassano NP. Vecchia (?) NVasari NA. Schiavone NAndr. del Sarto NMichelangelo NAnt Corregio N

Carried forward VP

Brought forward VPSalv. Rosa (N signed) PRaphael NRubens (N signed) OGuercino NI Juliano (?) signed NG. A. Sirani (Bol. NSTM) NM. de Vos (NRUV signed) NBaccilio (?) N

NPOArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

Maitre Roux NP. Panini NG. Cades (NTTU signed) OGagneraux (signed) OAngelica Kaufmann VRembrandt OVincent (NTTR) NRunciman (Rome signed) NLembke (signed) PAbildgaard OFuesli (P signed) PDomenichino NAnon. PV

In all NTN NTNFor a sum of OIMMM kr

Portfolio No. OCaricatures by Sergel OQOPortfolio No. PCroquis by Sergel TRPortfolio No. NOEsquisses by Sergel PMONos. OI PI NO for a total of NIMMM kr

Portfolio No. QDrawings by Ehrensvärd and one by Sergel NVQPortfolio No. RDrawings by Ehrensvärd and others ORNLetters illustrated by the same PT

In all OUU OUUNos. Q C R for a total of NIMMM kr

Portfolio No. NTDrawings by Åkerström OO,, ,, Rehn N,, ,, Hilleström N,, ,, E. Martin N,, ,, L’archevesque N,, ,, Masreliez O,, ,, Desprez T,, ,, Fuesli Q,, ,, Cades NEtchings by Hörberg QNDrawings for the temple at Skärfva PP

In all NNQ NNQFor a sum of RMM kr

Portfolio No. ONDrawing by Sergell NDrawing by Boquet N

Drawing by Anon. OPrints after Desprez PPen drawings by Desprez SFunerary monuments etc. by Desprez PTCroquis by Desprez TUEsquisses and car[icatures] by L’archevesque NSDrawings by Masreliez, Cades, Fuesli, Cipriani SView of Stockholm OPrints NNPrints after Ducros OPrints after Cades NPrints after Hackert NQDepictions from Copenhagen SPrints after Gillberg OCaricatures NOPrints after Floding NPortraits PN

In all OQN OQNFor a sum of PMM kr

In addition, the following numbers of prints have been selectedfrom the prints portfolios:

From Portfolio No. MFrench NItalian OUndetermined N

In all Q Q

From Portfolio NQ.Swedish PFrench NRDutch NItal. OPEng. QGerman NUndetermined V

In all RS RS

From Portfolio NS.Dutch SFrench NItal. TEng. R

In all NV NV

From Portfolio NV.Swedish UDanish N

In all V V


NPP Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

From Portfolio OM.Dutch PItal. OPFrench PGerman NDanish N

In all PN PNIn all, NON prints for a total of RMM kr

Notes:

NKWertmüller’s pronouncement on Sergel’s state of health was recorded

in a letter the sculptor wrote to his son on V April NUNP, preserved in the

Nationalmuseum Archives. For further details, see note P below.

OK The Svea Court of Appeal confirmed the validity of Sergel’s will on

S July NUNQ. The cited extract is from a certified copy of the original

preserved, along with various other documents relating to the sculptor, in a

late NVth-century volume in the Nationalmuseum Archives, shelf-marked

vol. H II A 18F I.

PK The reason for the daughter’s change of abode – whether it was Sergel’s

concern for her education, in terms of learning good manners and simple

culinary skills for her future role as a wife and housekeeper, or some falling

out between father and daughter – we do not know. A later letter to his son

Gustav may provide something of a clue. Around the time the latter was

attempting, with his father’s help, to acquire the Sponga estate near

Eskilstuna, the sculptor informed him on T October NUNN that he had had

a visit from his daughter, “who had dinner with me the day after my arrival

[in Stockholm] together with Miss Georgii, who has turned her into a little

cocotte, which I am not at all happy about. If I can, however, I shall try to

remedy this.” The letter, originally in French, is one of the SV, as yet

unpublished, which Sergel wrote to his son between NUNN and the week

before his death in February NUNQ. They came into the Nationalmuseum’s

possession in NVVQ when, together with the Louvre, it acquired the last

significant group of drawings from the sculptor’s estate, held by two of his

present-day descendants, Mrs Gunilla Sergel of Lund and Mrs Beata Grotte-

Törnebohm, residing in Cadiz, Spain.

QK One of the worst disparagers of women’s ability to manage property of

their own was Sergel’s very close friend, Admiral of the Fleet Carl August

Ehrensvärd, who claimed that they yearned only for luxury and ostentation.

For a summary of Ehrensvärd’s deeply pessimistic view of women, see

for example Holger Frykenstedt’s account “Carl August Ehrensvärds svit

‘Politiska Skifvan’ – En ideologisk seglats i den gustavianska epokens

bakvatten”, in Gustav III, Ulf G. Johnsson (ed.), Årsbok för Svenska

statens konstsamlingar NV, Stockholm NVTO, pp. NMRÓNPV, published in

connection with the Nationalmuseum’s exhibition Gustav III,

commemorating the king’s revolution in NTTO.

RK The letter from Ekwall to Sander is bound in the same volume as was

referred to in note O.

SK The Board minutes from October NUTR are preserved in the Museum’s

Archives, under shelf mark A1A:7, and are cited in the Appendix.

TK NMH NSTTLNUTR. For further commentary and information on the

Rembrandt drawing in Sergel’s possession, see Börje Magnusson’s entry in

Rembrandt och hans tid, Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no. RRN,

Uddevalla 1992, cat. no. 180, p. 361, published in connection with the

Museum’s bicentenary.

UK Regarding Sergel’s contacts and artistic relations during his student

years in Italy, see the present author’s article “Sergels romerska vänkrets”,

in Sergel och hans romerska krets, Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no.

SPS, Värnamo OMMP, pp. PMÓQR.

VK Concerning Sergel’s visit to Ehrensvärd in Halland in NTVSÓNTVT, and

their correspondence while the sculptor was staying on the Danish side

of the Sound, see the present author’s essay in Carl August Ehrensvärd:

Tecknaren och arkitekten, Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no. SMP,

Helsingborg NVVT, pp. NQVÓOMS.

NMK The prints from Sergel’s collection are recorded in relatively great

detail, but unfortunately, in part, under incorrectly duplicated numbers, as

nos. PUÓOTQ in the Museum’s NUTS inventory of newly acquired graphic

works. His collections of old and more recent master drawings and of works

by friends, acquaintances and students were recorded the year before, in

the NUTR inventory of drawings, but only in brief, giving the artists’ names

and the numbers of works: the master drawings as nos. NRRUÓNTOR and the

works he had received from contemporary teachers, fellow artists, friends

and students as nos. NTOSÓNUMO and NVOPÓNVRR.

NNK Sergel’s own drawings are lumped together in two separate entries in

the 1875 drawings inventory, as nos. QRTÓTTP and NORSÓNRRT. The group

in between, nos. TTQÓNORR, is stated to include, among other items, the

drawings by Carl August Ehrensvärd which Sergel had collected in

portfolios Q and R, but turns out on closer inspection also to include works

by the sculptor himself.

NOK The first time these drawings were shown completely openly to the

public was in an uncatalogued exhibition on “Ehrensvärd’s drawings

arising from the journey of Sergel and Baron J. J. De Geer to Denmark in

NTVSÓVT”, arranged by the present author at the Nationalmuseum in NVUN.

The following year it was shown at the Prints Department of the National

Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, with the title “Sergel’s journey to

Copenhagen NTVSÓVT: Drawings by Ehrensvärd, Sergel and Abildgaard”

(Lommebog NVFK For further information on these drawings, see the

present author’s article NTMM-talets erotiska fantasier – Ehrensvärds

och Sergels teckningar i Nationalmuseum” in Lust & Last,

Nationalmuseum exhibition catalogue no. SSP, Värnamo OMNN, pp.

NPPÓNSR, cat. nos. TTÓTU.


NPQArt Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volume OM OMNP

A Source-Critical Comment on Roger de Robelin’s“On the provenance of Rembrandt’s

The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis”

d∏êÉä `~î~ääáJ_à∏êâã~åImêçÑÉëëçê

j~êÖ~êÉíÜ~ oçëëÜçäãJi~ÖÉêä∏ÑmêçÑÉëëçê bãÉêáí~I píçÅâÜçäã råáîÉêëáíó

ë ÜçêíÉê åçí á Å É ë L~ ëçìêÅÉ J Åê á í á Å ~ ä ÅçããÉåí

Arts in Stockholm. His widow donated it to the Academy in NTVU.The scene in the painting has several interpretations. The cor-rect subject description is printed in the NTPQ auction catalogue,but by the time the work came into Swedish ownership the sub-ject had been forgotten and was not identified until the late NVthcentury. As mentioned above, Roger de Robelin is now claimingthat the painting came to Sweden already in the NTth century, aspart of Johan Gabriel Stenbock’s collection, and he bases this as-sertion on the following:

NK There were several Rembrandt paintings in Stenbock’s col-lection, including The Kitchen Maid (NM RUQ), Portrait of an OldMan with a Stick (NM RUN) and Portrait of an Old Woman (NMRUO) (all of them now in the Nationalmuseum collection).

O. There was a group of NO large paintings in Stenbock’s collec-tion (the titles are often unspecific but it has been assumed un-til now, that several of these works were by Gerrit van Hon-thorst, paintings that have been traced to collections in Skåneand Denmark); No U in the deeds of his estate is described as “Aking in council with his soldiers”.

Our objection is that the fact that Stenbock had several worksby Rembrandt (although he does not mention that they are byRembrandt) does not prove that he also owned another titled“A king in council with his soldiers”. The description is fairly ge-neral and thus does not exclusively fit the description of TheConspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis. The premisesfor this claim need to be argued.

PK An item in the NTPQ auction catalogue has a title (“A littleBoy with a Birdsnest”) similar to the description of a paintinginherited by Hedvig Sack (“A lad with baby birds, frame blackand gilt”), after Stina Lillie, who in turn inherited it from Sten-

NPR

oçÖÉê ÇÉ oçÄÉäáåÛë essay on the provenance ofRembrandt’s painting The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Clau-dius Civilis in Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, VolumeNVI OMNO gives rise to some reflections.1 In it, Robelin assertsthat he has found proof in the archives that the painting waspresent in Sweden already in the NTth century, a propositionthat readers will certainly find intriguing.Usually, there is only fragmentary (and often ambiguous) in-

formation about previous owners, sales, exhibitions and utilisa-tion in the broad sense, when it comes to older artworks. Fre-quently, we have to put the pieces together and use deductive evi-dence-based reasoning. This form of research is a viable and farfrom futile endeavour. But we must remember not to leap tooreadily from supposition to confirmation. The third time a plau-sible identification is mentioned, it should not be referred to as“recently confirmed” or “what we discovered”. Roger de Robelinmakes a few such leaps in an essay that is otherwise based on a so-lid knowledge of documents, personal history and culturalcontexts relating to the painting and its fate in Swedish hands.Nevertheless, it appears that the plausibility of the scenario hepresents is allowed to dominate his arguments.The events and actions that can be confirmed about the pain-

ting and its migrations are as follows:Rembrandt was commissioned by the elders of the City of

Amsterdam to paint The Conspiracy of the Batavians under ClaudiusCivilis for the town hall. The work was rejected and Rembrandtcropped the canvas into a more manageable format. There is nofurther information about the whereabouts, location or owner-ship of the painting until it was put up for sale at an auction inAmsterdam in NTPQ. The seller was anonymous. The buyer was“Nicolaas Cohl”, identified as Nikolaus Kohl, merchant. Kohl be-came Sophia Grill's second husband in NTNS. Grill’s younger re-lative Anna Johanna Grill married the merchant Henrik WilhelmPeill, who deposited the painting at the Royal Academy of Fine


ë ÜçêíÉê åçí á Å É ë L~ ëçìêÅÉ J Åê á í á Å ~ ä ÅçããÉåí

NPS

what Baldinucci’s account can contribute to our knowledge ofClaudius Civilis’ Swedish history. Robelin should have based hissuppositions on epistemological arguments, instead of makinghis drafts more believable and ultimately presenting them asconfirmed truths by merely reiterating his own hypotheses.Baldinucci wrote his text in the service of the abdicated QueenKristina. For him, the credibility of Swedish monarchs as art lo-vers may have had other strategic and perhaps self-serving ob-jectives.Towards the end of his essay, Roger de Robelin states that the

ambition of his further research is to ultimately present proof ofhow Stenbock acquired the Rembrandt painting. We believe thismay prove difficult, but we wish him the best of luck.

Notes:

NK Roger de Robelin, “On the Provenance of Rembrandt’s The Conspiracy of

the Batavians under Claudius Civilis”, in Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stock-

holm, Volume NVI OMNOI Stockholm OMNP, pp. NONÓNOS.

bock. Robelin posits that the similar descriptions of the auctionlot and the painting owned by Hedvig Sack indicates thatHedvig Sack is the anonymous seller at the auction in NTPQ.This prompts the following objection or question: How

many paintings on the theme of “A Little Boy with a Birdsnest”were produced in Dutch genre painting? Hedvig Sack as ananonymous seller in the NTPQ auction would infer that the in-heritance after Stenbock was included in that auction, thus ma-king her a prerequisite for Robelin’s chain of reasoning. Butwhat happens is that Robelin turns this supposition into an “ac-tual fact” when he refers to it further down in his own essay. Inour view, he is quoting himself to support his own hypothesis.With Hedvig Sack as a positive fact in the account of the

auction, her sister Ulla Sparre is also drawn into the story – andwith her Carl Gustaf Tessin. Robelin means that it is likely thatthe patchy documentation (anonymous dealers, the absence ofcorrespondence and clear mentions) is due to the machina-tions of powerful people in dire straits. Hedvig Sack needs tosell her “small genre scene” so she can send money to her hus-band Nils Bielke, a Catholic convert in Rome. Ulla Sparre wantsto sell her inheritance from Stenbock to finance her husband’sdiplomatic plans.Our objections and doubts: The author’s intricate weave of

circumstances relies solely on a description of a genre paintingowned by Hedvig Sack referring to a painting with a similar mo-tif that was auctioned off in NTPQ. But the suppositions behindthis claim need to be argued.Roger de Robelin eventually ends up in a precarious predi-

cament when he seeks to persuade us that the Claudius Civilispainting was sold from Sweden at the auction in NTPQ: thisleaves him to explain how the painting returned to Sweden. Ac-cording to his theory, it was bought and taken to Sweden alrea-dy in the NSSMs, and then sold through an agent in NTPQ. Healso needs to explain how the merchant Peill and the Grill fa-mily came into the picture, if Sophia Grill’s husband NikolausKohl was not the “actual” buyer at the auction. Here, Robelincalls upon unsubstantiated assumptions about how Peill, whowas working for Grill, participated in bringing back to Swedenparts of Nils Bielke’s estate in Rome, the Swedish portraits, andhopefully other paintings of a “Swedish” character (i.e. “Clau-dius Civilis”). His arguments grow increasingly implausible.We have further objections: Most dubious of all in Robelin’s

essay is the use of Filippo Baldinucci’s writings on the lives of fa-mous artists to add probability to his claims. Baldinucci’s allega-tion that Rembrandt worked for the Swedish Crown, and eventhat he died in Sweden, takes on a mythical, allegorised charac-ter of truth in Robelin’s account. Robelin posits that Baldinuc-ci’s account has transformed the factual story – i.e. that Sten-bock acquired Rembrandt’s painting The Conspiracy of the Bata-vians under Claudius Civilis. Altogether, we must ask ourselves


ë ÜçêíÉê åçí á Å É ë LêÉ ë éçå ë É íç ~ ëçìêÅÉ J Åê á í á Å ~ ä ÅçããÉåí ÉíÅ K Ò

NPT

bably included in the pledge that the artists left to his lender Har-men Becker. This opens up for a potentially rather differentchain of provenance. In my view, the provenance is probably thesame as for Stenbock’s The Kitchen Maid (NM RUQ), Portrait ofan Old Man with a Stick (NM RUN) and Portrait of an Old Woman(NM RUO).With the stringent standards of evidence that Cavalli-Björk-

man and Rossholm-Lagerlöf stipulate, most things could be ques-tioned in view of the unreliability of inventory lists from the late-NTth and early-NUth centuries, which rarely or never name the ar-tist but merely give a general description of the painting’s subjectmatter. If we doubt the subject description “A little Boy with aBirdsnest”, which was sold at an auction in Amsterdam in NTPQIwe may as well question the link to The Conspiracy of the Bataviansunder Claudius Civilis at the same auction. Because there is ac-tually nothing that directly and unequivocally corroborates thatthis refers to our painting The Conspiracy of the Batavians underClaudius Civilis.We can, however, establish a connection betweenCohl and Peill, but it is questionable whether even this wouldhold up to a more rigorous examination. The exact measure-ments are not stated, for instance. Moreover, the seller is anony-mous. Nor is it known whether Nicolaas Cohl was the actualbuyer or if he was merely serving as an agent, say, for his friendClaes Grill.I never claimed to have provided the last word on this matter.

On the contrary, my ambition was to open up new roads of enqui-ry into the provenance of this valuable painting. Other specialistsare obviously free to explore this field of research. The examina-tion of the contents of Stenbock’s archives in the NationalArchives (primarily the Bergshammar collection), for instance, isfar from completed.

Notes:

NK Roger de Robelin, ”On the Provenance of Rembrandt’s ʻThe Conspiracyof the Batavians under Claudius Civilisʼ”, in Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum,

Stockholm, Volume NVI OMNOI Stockholm OMNP, pp. NONÓNOS.

fí áë ÉåíáêÉäó äÉÖáíáã~íÉ , in a scientific context, topropose one or more hypotheses. Ultimately, this is an opportu-nity to try new roads in order to achieve full certainty. In my essay“On the Provenance of Rembrandt’s The Conspiracy of the Bata-vians under Claudius Civilis”, I have noted a number of hithertocompletely unknown indices that could open up for new inter-pretations of the unsolved issues concerning the painting's pro-venance and history prior to NTUM.1 A hypothesis can only be ofscientific value if it can be supported by substantial evidence. Ican only note that Professor Görel Cavalli-Björkman herself wasonce prepared, without any critical scrutiny of the sources, to ac-cept the old and entirely unverified claim that the Nationalmu-seum’s work by Rembrandt, The Kitchen Maid (NM RUQ) camefrom the collection of Roger de Piles, by way of Fonspertius’ col-lection and the Paris auction in NTQT.2 Even in Art Bulletin of Na-tionalmuseum, Stockholm NVVQ, I demonstrated that the paintinghad a completely different provenance, namely Johan GabrielStenbock’s collection.3 The sources that I referred to for The Kit-chen Maid, and on which I based my subsequent hypothesis on apossible provenance for Claudius Civilis, never mention Rem-brandt directly by name.4 The difference between them is thechain of provenance. In the case of The Kitchen Maid, this chain isunbroken and thus easier to verify. As for The Conspiracy of the Ba-tavians under Claudius Civilis, I have identified as a problem thatthe work may have been exported from Sweden, thus breakingthe chain. This makes it far more difficult to immediately corro-borate its provenance, but it does not mean that the evidence isweaker, in view of the overall context of Stenbock’s collection.The established opinion regarding the early provenance of

The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis would have itthat the painting remained in Rembrandt’s studio after his deathin NSSV and that his student Aert de Gelder consequently alsotook possession of the master’s monumental painting. GörelCavalli-Björkman has also embraced this theory, but without bac-king the hypothesis with any substantial evidence.5 In this sense,Cavalli-Björkman has not considered that the painting was pro-

Response to “A Source-Critical Comment etc.”

oçÖÉê ÇÉ oçÄÉäáå_^


OK Görel Cavalli-Björkman, “Kökspigan”, in Rembrandt och hans tid,

Nationalmusei utställningskatalog nr RRO (exhib. cat.), Uddevalla NVVO,

s. NVS.

PK Roger de Robelin, “On the Provenance of Rembrandt’s ‘The Kitchen

Maid’”, in Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, vols. NÓO, Stockholm NVVQÓNVVR,

pp. NMMÓNMP.

QK Cf. Robelin NVVQÓNVVR, p. NMT, n. RV.

RK Cavalli-Björkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, II, Stockholm OMMR,

pp. QMUÓQMV.

NPU

ëÜçêíÉê åçí á Å É ë LêÉ ë éçå ë É íç ~ ëçìêÅÉ J Åê á í á Å ~ ä ÅçããÉåí ÉíÅ K Ò


The Nationalmuseum Lighting Lab

eÉäÉå bî~åë`çåëÉêî~íçê

eÉäÉå~ h™ÄÉêÖ`ìê~íçê

êÉéçêíLíÜÉ å~í á çå~äãì ë Éìã ä á ÖÜí á åÖ ä~Ä

NPV

Fig. N The Nationalmuseum Lighting Lab.



NQM

A new lighting programme is being designed for the National-museum in connection with the refurbishment. The programmeconsiders how we want visitors to experience the art and the mu-seum building, also bearing in mind our visitors' comfort and en-joyment. Other important aspects concern preservation and thepotential of the NVth-century building with regard to its historicqualities and installation technology. The solution we opt for willcontribute to making the Nationalmuseum a “green museum”;moreover, the installations we execute to handle natural and ar-tificial light should be sustainable, cost-effective and easy to use.

The Nationalmuseum specifies the requirements and des-cribes to the property owner, the National Property Board, how

qÜÉ k~íáçå~äãìëÉìã ÄìáäÇáåÖ was created with theidea that the experience of art is enhanced when the works com-municate with the surrounding space. Originally, the museumcomprised galleries that varied in size, decoration, colour andlight – different kinds of galleries for different kinds of presenta-tions and art. Over the years, the building changed, and the gal-leries became more uniform in appearance. Windows were cove-red and partition walls erected, blocking out daylight and viewsof Stockholm. In our vision of a renovated Nationalmuseum buil-ding, daylight is let in and diversity of style, colour and ornamen-tation will be reinstated. The varied environments can be utilisedto create a more multifaceted art experience.

Fig. O Visitor interface. Scenarios A (POMM K), B (QMMM K), and C (RSMM K).


Fig. P Participants in the Nationalmuseum’s two-day conference and workshop The Future´s Bright: Managing Colour Change in Light filling out the questionnaire.

NQN

we want the building to be used and experienced. Solutions willthen be designed together with specialists in various fields oftechnology, and especially in collaboration with Wingårdhs Arki-tektkontor and Kardorff Ingenieure Lichtplanung. The Museumhas extensive practical and theoretical expertise, but now thatthe refurbishment opens up for new solutions, along with exci-ting new developments in lighting, we realised there is a need toexperiment and learn more. The Nationalmuseum’s Light Lab isone example of our efforts to build a Nationalmuseum for thefuture.1

The original purpose of the Light Lab was to serve as a toolfor specifying the Nationalmuseum’s requirements on a controlsystem for the new lighting. We wanted to launch a pilot experi-ment, with a trial installation in one of the exhibition spaces. Ho-wever, in order to assess the control system we wanted the ligh-ting scenarios to be relevant to our exhibition activities. In thatway, the experiment had multiple aims. We were able to learnmore about the capacity we wanted the new control system tohave, and could also test and assess how art is perceived in diffe-rent qualities of light. By making the lab public, we could also in-


volve our visitors. We were able to inform the public about theongoing refurbishment project, and exemplify what we weredoing to create the future museum. We also gave visitors oppor-tunities to learn more about Solid State Lighting (SSL) and totest different kinds of lighting and consider how light and colourinfluence what we see.

Light is crucial to how we experience art, and there are im-portant questions about what will be required of the National-museum’s new light sources. What qualities should the light havein order to offer museum visitors rewarding experiences of art?How can we minimize the detrimental effects of illumination onlight-sensitive objects?

Technical progress is swift. SSL lighting has developed intoone of the most interesting options for illumination today. As thequalities of SSL differ from traditional lighting, we must gatherinformation about the new possibilities of this light source.

Thus we designed an experiment where we tested how pain-tings are experienced under SSL where white light has differentwarm or cool tones. We explored the effects of light on paintingswith different subjects and characteristics. NTth-century paintings


NQO


of exteriors with many shades of red and brown were comparedto landscapes and plein-air paintings from the NVth century withbright-blue skies and fresh green hues. To introduce still anotherdimension, we also tested how the experience changed depen-ding on whether the paintings were hung on a white or grey wall.

The visitors’ experience is crucial, but in order to protectlight-sensitive pigments and materials we are also looking forlighting that exposes works to the least possible risk. We wantlight that is free from damaging infrared and ultraviolet rays. Soas to further protect the artworks, the brightness and duration oflight-exposure should be limited. There are many SSL lights tochoose from today, with new varieties popping up all the time.The light quality is essential to minimising the damaging effectsof SSL light. In our search for suitable museum lighting, therefo-re, we performed both technical and visual studies. A survey wascarried out in consultation with the Getty Conservation Institutein Los Angeles, and the Kunstakademiets Konservatorskole inCopenhagen.

Based on our description, the Stockholm-based companyTranspond created an installation, a control programme and acontrol interface that made it easy to adjust colour temperature(Kelvin) of the SSL lighting via an iPad. Visitors could adjust thelighting themselves, choosing between three scenarios (Figs. Nand OFK In scenario A, the works and the surrounding walls wereilluminated with a fairly warm light (POMM K). In scenario B, thelight was somewhat colder (QMMM K), while scenario C simulateddaylight (RSMM K). The paintings were exposed to light corres-ponding to OMM lux.

Visitors were invited to activate scenarios A, B or C via a touchscreen, and to note how the lighting temperature and wall colouraffected their experience of the work of art. They were asked,among other things, how the colours, contours and volumes ap-peared in warm and cold light. We also asked them whether theythought the NTth-century interiors looked better in one lightingand the landscapes in another. Moreover, they were requested toconsider whether the wall colour influenced the impression.

Workshops were organised for staff and colleagues fromother institutions. The first workshop was held when the lab wasinaugurated during the Nationalmuseum’s two-day conferenceand workshop The Future´s Bright: Managing Colour Change in LightSensitive Collections (Fig. P). Workshops were subsequently heldwith the Nationalmuseum’s curators, educators and conserva-tors, and with the Friends of the Nationalmuseum and groups ofcolleagues from other museums in Stockholm.

All workshop participants were requested to fill out a ques-tionnaire relating to the three lighting scenarios (Fig. Q). Unfor-tunately, we were unable to let all museum visitors answer thequestionnaire, but NQR people who took part in guided work-shops replied in writing. Although this is not a huge statisticalbase, the data nevertheless gives some guidance. Everyone who

Question 1Look at the CLARITY OF DETAIL of the two landscape paintings.

Does the landscape on the grey wall seem (tick only one box):

More clear

Slightly more clear

Neither more nor less clear

Slightly less clear

Less clear

Question 2Look at the CLARITY OF DETAIL of the two interior paintings.

Does the interior on the grey wall seem (tick only one box):

More clear

Slightly more clear

Neither more nor less clear

Slightly less clear

Less clear

Question 3Look at the paintings on the white wall. How does their COLOUR

APPERANCE compare to the paintings on the grey wall? Tick any

relevant boxes.

Colours appear more natural

Colours appear more artificial

Colours are less clearly revealed

Colours are more clearly revealed

Colours appear brighter, clearer

Colours appear weaker, more dim

Colours appear distorted, hues are affected

The appearance of colours is less acceptable

The appearance of colours is more acceptable

There are no differences I can see in the overall colour appearance

of the lighting

An overall colour appearance is detectable but I have no preference

Fig. Q The questionnaire was a simplified version of questionnaires usedin assessments at the Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, which wewere able to participate in thanks to GCI senior scientist James Druzik’sgenerosity and commitment to our project. Each scenario was followed bythe questions above. Participants were also able to add free-text commentsto each question.


responded either works with art or frequently looks at art. Agesvaried from OR to UQ.

The majority of respondents preferred POMM K, saying thatcolours and details were clearer at that strength. QMMM K andRSMM K were perceived as more acceptable lighting for art hungagainst a grey wall section. The alternative that scored the lowestwas art hung on a white wall with lighting set to RSMM K. The whi-te wall looked blue in the cold light, and this had an unfavou-rable effect on how the colours were experienced.

The survey results clearly indicated that the viewer experien-ce was affected more by the wall colour than by the colour of thelight. Paler paintings were to their advantage against a light wall.Darker paintings looked better against a dark wall. The NTth-cen-

tury interior with a black frame looked veritably lifeless against awhite wall. The contrast between the painting and the wall wastoo stark. Rather than being revolutionary or astonishing, thesurvey results confirmed long-established colour theories. To re-fine our results, we could proceed by examining how age, profes-sion and personal opinions on development and change have in-fluenced the answers.

Choosing to install SSL lighting with a fixed colour tempera-ture is one alternative. Having a lighting engineer choose andmanually set the lighting using individual lights with a range offixed settings is another. But today it is also technically possible touse tunable lights that are all individually adjustable via thecontrol system, and thus optimizing the settings for each indivi-


NQP

Fig. R Interface for advanced lab functions accessible only to Nationalmuseum staff demonstrating the lab in connection with workshops. These functionswere locked for visitors who did not participate in a guided presentation of the lab.


dual work of art. Our question was whether such a system wouldbe viable for us. In order to evaluate and learn more about howlight affects the experience of art, we organised another, moreadvanced, workshop.

One question we asked ourselves was if a plein-air paintingmade in the cold light of Sweden’s northern latitudes would be-nefit from colder lighting. Another question was if an interiorpainted in warm hues would appear more appealing in warmlighting resembling that of wax candles and halogen. For thisevaluation, we commissioned Transpond to design a more ad-vanced programme and interface than in the three scenarios des-cribed above. The SSL lighting we tested was tunable white, andthe workshop participants were able to control individual spot-lights and wall washers. The colour temperature and brightnesswere more or less infinitely adjustable. The colour temperature

could be varied from OTMM K to RSMM K. Brightness was betweenM and OMM lux (Fig. R).

Participants concluded that the green landscape with a veryblue sky was benefited particularly from colder light. It was alsointeresting how the perception of the time of day depicted in thepainting was influenced and seemed to change. At POMM K, Ed-vard Bergh’s painting Summer Landscape (Fig. S) was seen to por-tray a scene on a hot summer’s day at noon. In colder light, itsuggested early morning before full sunrise, or the “blue hour” atdusk. In a painting by Anders Zorn, By Lake Siljan (Fig. T, hungon a wall not shown in the image of the laboratory), representinga nude woman just before or after bathing, the lighting was evenmore crucial. At POMM K, the bare skin seemed warmed by sun-light at lunchtime, when the sun is at its zenith. In colder light,the scene could be interpreted as a morning or evening swim.


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Fig. S Edvard Bergh (NUOUÓNUUM), Summer Landscape, NUTP. Oil on canvas, SM ñ VM cm. Nationalmuseum, åã PMUQ.


Studying Gustaf Rydberg’s painting Spring in Skåne (Fig. U) provi-ded further insights. It would appear that we who live in thenorth, and who long for sunlight for large parts of the year, havea highly-developed sensitivity to variations in daylight. This is pro-bably accompanied by a well-developed understanding of diffe-rent kinds of snow. In cold light, Rydberg’s spring landscapeawoke a lively sensation of ice melting and the first warm rays ofsunshine in spring. In warmer light, the scene was perceived as alifeless, dirty landscape without any spring feeling.

Our conclusion was that it can be interesting to enhance va-rious moods by means of colour temperatures. Nevertheless, we

find it hard to envision how tunable white could be used throu-ghout the Museum. Technically, it would be possible. However,as we see it today, such a system would be expensive and not par-ticularly user-friendly. It may, however, be viable and interestingfor showing art in specialised presentations in smaller exhibitionspaces. It could also be used for enhancing artefacts in displaycases, for instance by using warmer light for gold objects, and col-der light for silver.

For more complex displays in large galleries, however, withmany art works hung in tiers on the walls and with sculpture anddisplay cases standing on the floor, a uniform colour temperatu-


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Fig. T Anders Zorn (NUSMÓNVOM), By Lake Siljan, NVMR. Oil on canvas, UN ñ NMM cm. Nationalmuseum, åã NSUVK


re would be preferable. We have not yet decided which Kelvin de-gree to use. Until we have made this decision, we are monitoringdevelopments closely, focusing especially on ongoing or comple-ted projects in other museums around the world. In addition, wehave to evaluate the best alternative for combining artificial lightwith daylight. It will also be essential to choose wall colours thatharmonise both with the architect Friedrich August Stüler’s 19th-century building and with the Nationalmuseum collection. Oneof the objectives of the refurbishment is to create a modern mu-seum where architecture and art interact to offer a powerful artexperience. Our experiences from the NationalmuseumLighting Lab have brought us closer to achieving that goal.

Notes:

NK Project leaders: Fredrik Eriksson and Helena Kåberg. Scientific

consultants: James Druzik, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, and

Bent Eshøj, Kunstakademiets Konservatorskole, Copenhagen. Lighting

consultant: Transpond. Curator: Mikael Ahlund. Conservators: Helen

Evans and Rickard Becklén. Exhibition architect: Henrik Widen.


NQS

Fig. U Gustaf Rydberg (NUPRÓNVPP), Spring in Skåne, NUSU. Oil on canvas, QS ñ SQ cm. Nationalmuseum, åã NMRVK


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