Johan Tobias Sergel – the sculptor and draughtsman who gave his name to one of Stockholm’s most iconic places, Sergels torg. A contemporary of King Gustav III and a close friend of the troubadour Bellman. A social genius and brooding melancholic. A celebrated artist and a satirical provocateur. In this exhibition visitors could get close to a person full of contradictions, in both life and artistic practice. The were to meet classical gods, tender family portrayals, and drawings filled with humor, darkness, and eroticism.
In Spring and Summer 2026, Nationalmuseum presented a major exhibition on sculptor and draughtsman Johan Tobias Sergel (1740–1814). Sergel was a central figure in Swedish art during the late 18th century and is also considered one of the most important sculptors of his time on an international scale.
The exhibition offered a comprehensive view of Sergel’s life and art—from his early years in Stockholm in the 1760s, through his extended study trips to France and Italy, to his commissions for King Gustav III upon his return to Stockholm. One of the goals of the exhibition was to place Sergel’s life and work in a broader cultural and historical context. His relationships with leading Swedish cultural personalities and political authorities of the time were given significant attention, and his career was portrayed against the backdrop of life in 18th-century Stockholm, Paris, and Rome. Sergel maintained an extensive international network, and the exhibition highlighted how important these connections were to his artistic development.
Johan Tobias Sergel, Self portrait with a bottle of Wine in Rome.
Johan Tobias Sergel, detail of Venus aux belles fesses. Photo: Viktor Fordell/Nationalmuseum.
Johan Tobias Sergel, detail of Mars and Venus. Photo: Viktor Fordell/Nationalmuseum
Johan Tobias Sergel, Mars and Venus.
Johan Tobias Sergel. The Faun.
Johan Tobias Sergel, Passionate lovers
Johan Tobias Sergel, detail of Amor and Psyche. Photo: Viktpr Fordell/Nationalmuseum.
Johan Tobias Sergel, Amor and Psyche.
A major focus was placed on Sergel’s more personal and private drawings. He left behind a large number of works depicting everyday life, family, friends, and erotic scenes—images that reveal the man behind the monumental sculptures: an artist who viewed his contemporaries with both sharp insight and warmth. Nationalmuseum holds an extensive collection of works by Sergel, which formed the foundation of the exhibition.
A smaller version of the exhibition will be shown in autumn 2026 at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York. It will mark the first time Sergel has been the subject of a monographic exhibition in the United States.
Exhibition curator: Daniel Prytz, Nationalmuseum
Scenographer: Sara Al Adhami, Nationalmuseum
Exhibition catalogue
The exhibition cataloague presents the artist in full. For the first time, a broader approach is taken to understand the phenomenon of Sergel and the significance of his work for the development of contemporary art and culture, both nationally and internationally: to ascertain why Sergel has been called "Sweden's foremost artist" ever since his own time.
SEK 345, in the museum shop or online bookshop.
More about Johan Tobias Sergel
Film: The Sensuality of Sergel
In this short film, Linda Hinners talks about Sergel’s sensual sculpture "The Faun", a masterpiece that became his artistic breakthrough. Watch the film on YouTube.
Audioguide
Listen to the audio guide in the exhibition, at home on your sofa, or on the bus. The guide features 29 tracks covering everything from Sergel’s childhood and early training to court life and tavern culture in Gustav III’s Stockholm.
Exhibition catalogue
The book presents a comprehensive portrait of Sergel and takes a broader look at the phenomenon of Sergel, as well as the significance of his artistic achievement for the development of contemporary art and culture, both nationally and internationally.