Hans Hammarskiöld was one of the most significant names in photographic art in Sweden during the second half of the 20th century. The year 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of his birth. We were commemorating this by exhibiting Hammarskiöld’s portraits of the royal family and cultural personalities in a summer display at the National Portrait Gallery at Gripsholm Castle.
Photographer Hans Hammarskiöld (1925–2012) was active for more than half a century and was among the foremost in Swedish photographic art during that time. He was one of the founding members of the influential group Tio Fotografer (Ten Photographers). However, the network was not limited to Swedish colleagues such as Georg Oddner, Rune Hassner, and Sten Didrik Bellander – it also included international names like Irving Penn and Edward Steichen. Hammarskiöld worked across many genres: portraiture, fashion, interiors, landscapes, and still life. He also worked for the photo press and illustrated books on subjects as diverse as children, buses, and libraries.
Hans Hammarskiöld, Christina, Princess of Sweden, Mrs. Magnuson, 2002.
Hans Hammarskiöld, Dagmar Lange (pseud. Maria Lang), author, headmaster, 1952.
Hans Hammarskiöld, Claes Oldenburg, artist, 1966.
Hans Hammarskiöld, Self portrait, 1956.
The summer display 2025 at the National Portrait Gallery at Gripsholm Castle features twenty-one of Hammarskiöld’s portraits of the royal family and cultural personalities. The timeline spanned the majority of his career, from 1950 to 2011. His subjects are allowed to come to life, often portrayed with subtle humor and a twinkle in the eye. Hammarskiöld preferred to photograph his models in environments that felt natural to them – at home, at work, or outdoors. He often relied on natural light, but was not hesitant to use studio lamps or reflectors when needed. The contrasts between light and shadow were important to him, used to enhance the subject and create atmosphere.
In the museum world, Hammarskiöld was a well-known name through his publications on cultural and historical topics and as a pioneer in the creation of slide shows. During the 1960s, he worked, among other things, on documenting the activities at the newly opened Moderna Museet (Museum of Modern Art) in Stockholm. His first contact with the National Portrait Gallery was a commissioned portrait of Princess Christina, completed in 2002. This also marked the beginning of an active period of acquiring portrait photography for the collection. In 2008, the Nationalmuseum received a generous donation from Hans Hammarskiöld, comprising 77 of his finest portraits.
The photographs in the summer display 2025 at Gripsholm come partly from Hammarskiöld’s donation and partly from acquisitions made possible through gifts from the Gripsholm Association, founded in 1937.
About the National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery contains nearly 5,300 works and is the world's oldest national portrait gallery. It was established in 1822 and is managed by the Nationalmuseum. A selection of portraits from the collection is on display at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred.