Karl Johan and the Arts

The Empire style made its breakthrough in Sweden when Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, the former French marshal, became the crown prince, Karl Johan. His title to the throne rested solely on Russian support.

Like Napoleon, Karl Johan had realised the importance of both art and applied art in providing a fitting framework for his power and even though he lacked the French emperor’s financial resources here we see the same military emblems, abundance of bronzes and powerfully coloured textiles.

And last but not least, Karl Johan was able to impress the world around him with the products of a national luxury industry and at the same time an Imperial material – porphyry from Älvdalen.

This portrait was painted for the King’s silver jubilee. He wears a Swedish marshal’s uniform and is surrounded by objects recalling his contributions as a Swedish monarch with French roots. The porcelain table from Sèvres was a state gift from the French king Louis-Philippe. On it is the Legion of Honour. Skeppsholmen Church in the background, the book about the Göta Canal and the vases from Karl Johan’s own porphyry works exemplify his achievements.

Swedish Portraiture

The classicistic emphasis on form before colour in the style of Jacques Louis David’s, was introduced in Sweden by his pupil Per Krafft the Younger. His sharp detailing was later softened by a warmer colouring by Olof Johan Södermark, who had studied in Rome.

A third representative of the Swedish bourgeoisie portrait was the historic painter Johan Gustaf Sandberg. He never travelled abroad, but was inspired by Dutch 17th century chiaroscuro. The most original portrait painter of the time was perhaps Karl Peter Mazér with his mix of intense colours and peculiar naivety.

Carolina Mandorff regards the viewer with a curious and mischievous look. She holds a toy, called bilboquet. The loosely draped empire style dress gives her greater freedom of movement while playing, compared with previous generations. This is one of Per Krafft the younger’s few portraits of children. The painting is clearly influenced by the contemporary art seen in Paris, from where he returned to Sweden in 1805.

Staging Power

Early on, Napoleon Bonaparte used arts and crafts to strengthen his own and France’s position. Europe could be conquered both by French success on the battlefield and through the superiority of French art. The industry of luxurious objects in Paris, and the former royal manufactures, flourished in the service of imperial propaganda. The former Marshal of France, Karl XIV Johan, used the arts in a similar, but more restrained way.

Cup and plate with a profile portrait of emperor Napoleon’s younger brother Lucien Bonaparte, later prince of Canino. For long periods, he was in opposition to Napoleon. This type of porcelain was a popular luxury item in the early 19th century in the French empire. The cup was made by the brothers Pierre-Louis and Etienne-Jean-Baptiste Dagoty at their porcelain factory in Paris, leading manufacturer of hard-paste porcelain, together with Sèvres.

Silver, Bronze and Cast Iron

Hard materials like metal and stone became popular during the warlike Napoleonic era. Sweden contributed with items from the porphyry works at Älvdalen. In Berlin, new form ideals were created linked to objects of cast iron. Silver items became larger and classical decors were inspired by the imperial courts of Europe. But there as also inspiration from nature, with details in the form of animals. Even more contemporary messages are found on silver, as old Norse motifs in the spirit of the Geatish federation.

Porcelain

The imperial ideals are reflected in the ceramic industry’s unique porcelain pieces. Highly skilled painters worked at the factories. The decor was accentuated with gold. The motifs were classic stories or contemporary landscapes in a romantic spirit. Portraits of contemporary people and architectural images were popular.

French Classicism and Romanticism

At the beginning of the 19th century French art was characterised by the classicistic faith in shape and line rather than colour. Compositions were well-balanced and combined with the endeavour to attain illusory details and resemblances. Motifs were found in the classical period and expressed lofty ideals with contemporary application.

The leading name was Jacque Louis David. His successors include both the strict classicist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and the unruly romantic Théodore Géricault. Dynamic compositions, unrestrained brushstrokes and explosive palates made their entry in the paintings of Eugène Delacroix, a counter-weight to classicism.

The woman artist with a sketchbook could be Haudebourt-Lescot herself. She was a private pupil of Guillaume Guillon-Lethière and followed her teacher to Rome when he became director of the French Academy there in 1807. She spent nine years in Italy and became very conversant with plein-air (open-air) painting, but also produced genre-like peasant scenes. In 1820, she married the architect Louis-Pierre Haudebourt, whom she knew from Rome.

From the Paris Salon

Since the 17th century, recurring art exhibitions were organized in a grand hall at the Louvre in Paris – The Salon. Initially, only members of the Academy of Fine Arts could exhibit there.

After the revolution, all artists in France could submit works that were either accepted or refused by a jury.

The selection was very varied and there was never really a special “salon art”. The artists would sometimes create a scandal and sometimes they would please. Primarily they were wanted to make a name for themselves or maintain a reputation that ensured continued large commissions.

Courbet chose an artistic career outside the academic sphere. This meant, among other things, poorer opportunities for financial support i.e. scholarships and reaching out with his art. Early on, he realized the importance of drawing attention to himself. He did this both in private and as an artist, including participating in the Salon, with self-portraits, where he takes on various roles, like a violin player. The portrait was shown at the 1848 Paris Salon.

Italian Landscapes

Interest in the Italian landscape as a motif grew in the late 18th century. Artists started to paint in plein-air, using oil. It gave the paintings a character, which in our eyes is perceived as fresh, and made the appear to be complete works of art. However, they were primarily working materials. The artist would learn to master the expressions of nature, and in the studio would process it into larger and more doctored paintings with literary elements.

Carl Morgenstern traveled to Italy in 1834 and stayed for three years. His study from Grotta dei Capuccini towards the city of Amalfi shows one of his specialties: a subtle air perspective in a blue-violet tone. Note that he has painted sitting in the cave opening, probably to take advantage of the shadow falling in the foreground, and a bit into the image, to catch the sun-drenched view without being disturbed by the light.

The Landscapes of the Union

The Swedish-Norwegian Union, formed in 1814, consisted of two independent nations with a common king. When Karl XIV Johan became king four years later, he began collecting landscape paintings from both countries, which were shown at the newly built Rosendal summer palace in Stockholm.

It consolidated the Union, with motifs from Skåne in the south to Finnmarken in the north. Often, beautiful and dramatic views were emphasized.

His grandsons, Karl XV and Oskar II continued to benefit from the development of Scandinavian landscape painting through official commissions until the dissolution of the Union in 1905.

With brightly lit paintings like this, Frich was something of an odd man out among the landscape painters of 19th-century Norway, who tended to be truer to nature. When he was commissioned by Oscar I to produce six works for the dining room of the summer palace of Oscarshall, near Oslo, they were considered too decorative. This painting is strikingly similar to those images, and may have served as a reminder of Oscarshall back at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

Historic Painting and Fairy Tales

National art was created by highlighting historical events and stories that were unique for each country. The importance of historical painting grew during the 19th century.

Motifs from folklore turned Swedish landscapes into an ancient stage for fairy tales, which were thought of as a part of the national heritage.

Several of these works have become symbols for historical events and have greatly influenced our view of history, even though they are, in fact, pure fantasy.

Early morning mist swirls across the ground. In Swedish folklore, this is known as älvdans, or dancing fairies. They were regarded as supernatural beings with largely evil powers. Malmström has portrayed them as girl-like figures, some more distinct and others almost dissolving into the mist. Scandinavian popular belief played an important part in attempts to create a national art, less dependent on the influence of countries such as France.

Bourgeois Interiors

Napoleon’s attempt to destroy Britain’s economy paradoxically created wealth in Swedish port towns, favouring an emerging bourgeoisie.

Empire design was simplified in the wealthy merchant homes. The chiffonier was the furniture in fashion, either made of dark Mahogany or light Birch. Gilt bronze ornaments were often replaced by thinly pressed brass. Lavish curtain sets and printed wall-papers framed all the bourgeois interiors.

This painting shows a room in the artist’s home at the Arvfurstens Palats at Gustav Adolfs torg in Stockholm. Bennet moved around the building repeatedly over the years. The apartment is filled with a fascinating mixture of furniture and art from different eras. Several of the works adorning the walls are by the artist himself. They appear like private mementoes, but also contribute – both in the painting and in the actual home – to stressing his artist role.

The People of Italy

After the Napoleonic war, people could move around in Europe again, and artists returned to Italy. In Rome, an international atmosphere emerged around the French academy and the great German-Scandinavian artist community. There was an international activity in Rome around the French academy and the great German-Scandinavian artist colony.

The Romantic interest in the character of the local people shows in depictions of costumes, traditions and everyday life. Professional models and costumes for rent facilitated the work.

The way the population was portrayed, of course, came from the stereotypes of the period: Italians were regarded as naive and light-hearted as well as jealous and hot-tempered. Religious ceremonies were often portrayed with an edge directed at popular superstitions.

Amalia Lindegren had studied extensively. She traveled to Paris, Munich and Rome, among other places, to develop her artistry. Here she has painted a motif that was very popular in Italy: a peasant woman carrying her child. The painting is an example of how artists conveyed an image of Italy as being a sort of paradise on earth, where people led a simple and timeless life.