Art Galleries
Stockholm's art galleries might not be as big as in New York, London, France, Berlin, or Amsterdam. Though, there are a lot of artistic jewels
in the Stockholm's galleries too. Here, we give you some suggestions where to go.
Nationalmuseum (The National Gallery)
Nationalmuseum (The National Gallery) from 1866 is Sweden's museum of art and design. It is also a government authority with a mandate to preserve cultural heritage and promote art, interest in art, and knowledge of art. The collections comprise of painting, sculpture, drawings, and prints from 1500-1900 and applied arts, design and portraits from early Middle Ages up until present day.
If you’ve short of time in Stockholm, it is well worth to just go into the stairwell and look at the paintings made of
Carl Larsson (1853–1919). He is one of the Swedish famous painters that is part of the Swedish “folk soul”. The painting “Midvinterblot” (Midwinter Blot or Offering) caused much of public debate when it was finished, it was refused, and finally ended up in the museum.
If you come by car up through the South landscapes of Sweden, you can see the sketches of the paintings in the stairwell at “Skissernas museum” (Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art), Lund. This gallery is very interesting (see Stops on the Road).
Moderna museet (The Museum of Modern Art)
Moderna museet is one of Europe’s leading museums for modern and contemporary art. It collects, preserves, shares and exhibits modern art from the early 20th century and photography from 1840 and onwards. Only a fraction of its 130,000 works in various media is on display. With some 100,000 items, Moderna Museet’s photography collection is incomparable.
The museum opened in 1958, when it was moved from the Nationalmuseum into a former navy drill hall on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm. It was added with a new building (1998), designed by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo.
In the museum, you’ll have various exhibitions – as in the Nationalmuseum. One artwork that gives a lot of thoughts is “Monogram” by the American artist Robert Rauschenberg. The goat is not always on display, due to its touring ;). Very close to the museum outdoors, you’ll find “Le Paradis fantastique” by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle. It doesn’t leave you unmoved either.
Prins Eugen’s Waldemarsudde
Prins (Prince) Eugen’s Waldemarsudde (the Cape Waldemar which is an Old German noble male name) is a popular art museum, beautifully situated on Djurgården in Stockholm. The museum consists of a main building, the Mansion, finished in 1905 as a residence for Prince Eugen (1865–1947), and a gallery building that was added in 1913. The Swedish architect Ferdinand Boberg designed both buildings.
Prince Eugen, son of King Oscar II and Queen Sophia, was educated as a painter in Paris and became one of the leading landscape painters of his time. He was also an important art collector and a central figure in the Swedish cultural world.
On the ground floor of the Mansion, you can visit the common areas of Prince Eugen’s home, which are preserved as they were in his time. The upper floors of the building and the Gallery show work from the art collection and temporary exhibitions.
Do visit the beautiful, century old garden and park as well. The design was – and still is – determined by the prince. He bought plenty of sculptures, including works by the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles, that you see here as well as several historic buildings (for example the Linseed Oil Mill 1785).
You get here by a lovely walk from the Vasa Museum (two kilometres), by bus, or park your car close to the Mansion. Do mind parking restrictions at Djurgården ("Commuting").
Thielska galleriet (the Thiel Gallery)
Two kilometres from the Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde is the Thiel Gallery on the highest point of Blockhusudden (Cape of Blockhouse). It contains the financier Ernest Thiel's (1859–1947) unique art collection of great works by leading – mainly Scandinavian – painters around 1900 such as Carl Larsson, Bruno Liljefors, Edvard Munch, and Anders Zorn. Thiel's collecting was largely based on friendship with the painters whose works he purchased.
Thiel was one of the Sweden's wealthiest people by the beginning of the 20th century. Together with his accomplice Knut Wallenberg (one of the early owners of the big Swedish bank SEB), he financed Sweden's first continental seaside resort, Saltsjöbaden Grand Hotel, complete with electric railway to it. Carl Larsson painted "Banketten" (the Banquet) over its reception.
The building Villa Eolskulle (today's Thiel Gallery) was designed by the Swedish architect Ferdinand Boberg for Thiel in Art Nouveau style and was completed in 1907. It became the home of the Thiel family.
Less than ten years later, Thiel lost most of his fortune in the deflationary recession, which swept the world in the 1920s, following the depression 1920–21. He sold everything in Villa Eolskulle to the state in 1924. Two years later, the gallery was opened to the public and its original condition was preserved with original furnishings from the time. The Thiel Gallery Foundation regained ownership 2021.
Some Painters that Formed the Swedish Cultural Soul
The Painters Carl Larsson (1853– 1919) and Anders Zorn (1860–1920) have contributed to form the Swedish cultural soul. Mostly, they had a romantic nationalism style. The sculptor Carl Milles, (1875–1955) was also from this time and he bridges into the modernism in Swedish art.
Carl Larsson grew up in humble circumstances in a working-class family. He was 14 years old when he started to study at Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in Stockholm. Over time he became one of the most famous, celebrated, and popular Swedish artists. He’s one of Sweden's most important watercolour painters, especially those works from his own home Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn. The works quickly came to be regarded as the epitome of family happiness and the role-model of a Swedish home. His wife, Karin Larsson, was a strong contributor to the aesthetics in the home. She played a significant role in the development of the Swedish home furnishing style.
Anders Zorn grew up with a single mother in simple and hard-working condition. He was 14 years old when he started to study at Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in Stockholm. Later, he produced impressive portraits, watercolours, and sculptures. In the early 1900s, his portrait painting was world famous. Among the clients were the King of Sweden and the President of the United States, William Taft. Today, he's probably best known for painting nude women and folk scenes. Emma Zorn, Anders' wife, was also a significant personality in her own right.
Carl Milles was 17 years old when he started at the University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. During the first half of the 20th century, he was the sculptor who dominated the Swedish art scene. He carried out a very large number of public assignments in Sweden and abroad. He was the monumental sculptor who received the major commissions for decoration at a time when many cities were being expanded and modernized.
You can visit the homes of Larsson, Zorn, and Milles with their works. Though, only Milles is nearby Stockholm (the other two are in the county Dalarna).
Fotografiska
Fotografiska (the Contemporary Museum of Photograpy, Art, and Culture) is a destination for photography, culture, and gastronomy in Stockholm. Fotografiska was inaugurated in May 2010. It was founded by the brothers Jan and Per Broman as is located in Stora Tullhuset (the Big Toll House) in the harbour of Stadsgården (sort of the City Farm). The house is from 1910 in Art Noveau style and is attributed to the architect Ferdinand Boberg (he didn’t sign the original drawings). It is the last surviving customs warehouse on Stadsgården.
Among the photographic exhibitions it has shown are: Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Anton Corbijn, Christer Strömholm, and Cindy Sherman. In March 2021, Fotografiska merged with NeueHouse and is operated by Yoram Roth and Josh Wyatt under the parent company CultureWorks.
Artipelag
Artipelag is a privately owned Swedish art gallery at Baggensfjärden on Hålludden (Cape Hold On – in Swenglish) on the island Värmdö. Björn Jakobson, who founded the company Babybjörn AB, had the idea for an art gallery in the Stockholm archipelago in 2000. His wife Lillemor Jakobson has a background in art and design. The Swedish architect Johan Nyrén (1948–2011) designed the art gallery and it opened in 2012. The building is comparable in size with the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm.
The name ’Artipelag’ is a combination of Art, Activities and Archipelago. The Jakobson’s intention was to create a destination of high international quality – with boundary-crossing art exhibits, inspiring activities and great food. to Sweden’s largest state-owned museums and art exhibition institutions. Around the art gallery you can walk around the cape for about one kilometre on wooden footbridges in larch wood. Sculpture in Nature is a permanent exhibition with works by Nordic and international artists. The works are in the surrounding forests, on the beaches and meadows, as well as at Artipelag's entrance.
From the Pearl Cottage, you’ve to take the car to the art gallery (“Commuting”). You can combine the visit here with a visit to the outdoor bathhouse at Saltsjöbaden (“Saunas”), or sights on the island Rindö (“Day 2 in Vaxholm”).