Gustaf Lundberg
Encyclopedia
Gustaf Lundberg was a Swedish rococo pastelist and portrait painter, working in Paris
and later in Stockholm
.
Lundberg was born in Stockholm
17 August 1695, son of royal chef Gustaf Lundberg and his wife Sabina Richter, whose family included successful artists and goldsmiths. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by his uncle
, Fredrik Richter, who was himself a goldsmith. Lundberg was later apprenticed to the painter David von Krafft
in 1712.
In 1717, Lundberg traveled to Paris, where he studied with Hyacinthe Rigaud
, Nicolas Largillière and Jean François de Troy
. The determining influence was the Venetian
painter Rosalba Carriera
, who lived in Paris from 1720 to 1721, during which time Lundberg studied under her. Afterwards, Lundberg established himself as one of the leading portrait painters in Paris. He painted Louis XV
and his Queen Maria Leszczyńska
, and the Queen's parents, deposed
King Stanisław Leszczyński and his spouse, and gave Stanislaus pastel painting lessons. He portrayed many of the Swedes visiting Paris, and befriended Count Carl Gustaf Tessin
— Swedish ambassador, art collector and member of the famous family of architects, who let him stay in his palace. In addition to his many portraits of French and Swedish aristocracy
, he is known for his paintings of colleagues Charles-Joseph Natoire
and François Boucher
.
In 1741, Lundberg was elected a member of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture or Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. But his popularity started to wane soon after, a result of new pastelists representing a more realistic style than his. During 1745 he traveled through Spain and Portugal
, stopping in Madrid to paint Louis XV's daughter Louise-Élisabeth, who was married to Philip
, the son of King Philip V
. Traveling via Cadiz
and Lisbon
, he returned to Sweden by boat in the autumn. An already successful artist, he quickly established himself as the leading rococo
painter in Sweden. Thanks to his friendship with Tessin, he was soon introduced at the Royal Court
. In Sweden, Lundberg's light and elegant style was a break from the Baroque
style of portraiture that had previously predominated. In 1750, he was appointed court portrait painter or hovkonterfejare. He painted many portraits of the Crown Prince, later King Gustav III
. Towards the end of his career, he painted a portrait of the young Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in 1779.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and later in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Lundberg was born in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
17 August 1695, son of royal chef Gustaf Lundberg and his wife Sabina Richter, whose family included successful artists and goldsmiths. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by his uncle
Uncle
An uncle is a type of familial relationship.Uncle may also refer to:* Uncle , by J. P. Martin* U.N.C.L.E., a fictional organization in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E....
, Fredrik Richter, who was himself a goldsmith. Lundberg was later apprenticed to the painter David von Krafft
David von Krafft
David Krafft, from 1719 David von Krafft was a German-Swedish painter, the nephew and student of David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl and his successor as painter to the Swedish Royal Court....
in 1712.
In 1717, Lundberg traveled to Paris, where he studied with Hyacinthe Rigaud
Hyacinthe Rigaud
Hyacinthe Rigaud was a French baroque painter of Catalan origin whose career was based in Paris.He is renowned for his portrait paintings of Louis XIV, the royalty and nobility of Europe, and members of their courts and considered one of the most notable French portraitists of the classical period...
, Nicolas Largillière and Jean François de Troy
Jean François de Troy
Jean François de Troy was a French Rococo painter and tapestry designer. He was one of a family of painters, being the son of the portrait painter François de Troy , under whom he first studied, and at whose expense he first went to Italy from 1699 to 1706, staying in Rome, but also visiting many...
. The determining influence was the Venetian
Venetian school (art)
-Context:In the 15th century Venetian painting developed through influences from the Paduan School and Antonello da Messina, who introduced the oil painting technique of Early Netherlandish painting. It is typified by a warm colour scale and a picturesque use of colour...
painter Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera was a Venetian Rococo painter. In her younger years, she specialized in portrait miniatures...
, who lived in Paris from 1720 to 1721, during which time Lundberg studied under her. Afterwards, Lundberg established himself as one of the leading portrait painters in Paris. He painted Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
and his Queen Maria Leszczyńska
Maria Leszczynska
Marie Leszczyńska was a queen consort of France. She was a daughter of King Stanisław Leszczyński of Poland and Catherine Opalińska. She married King Louis XV of France and was the grandmother of Louis XVI, Louis XVIII, and Charles X. In France, she was referred to as Marie Leczinska...
, and the Queen's parents, deposed
Deposition (politics)
Deposition by political means concerns the removal of a politician or monarch. It may be done by coup, impeachment, invasion or forced abdication...
King Stanisław Leszczyński and his spouse, and gave Stanislaus pastel painting lessons. He portrayed many of the Swedes visiting Paris, and befriended Count Carl Gustaf Tessin
Carl Gustaf Tessin
Count Carl Gustaf Tessin was a Swedish politician and son of architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and Hedvig Eleonora Stenbock.-Life:Carl Gustaf Tessin was born in Stockholm...
— Swedish ambassador, art collector and member of the famous family of architects, who let him stay in his palace. In addition to his many portraits of French and Swedish aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, he is known for his paintings of colleagues Charles-Joseph Natoire
Charles-Joseph Natoire
Charles-Joseph Natoire was a French painter in the Rococo manner, a pupil of François Lemoyne and director of the French Academy in Rome, 1751-1775...
and François Boucher
François Boucher
François Boucher was a French painter, a proponent of Rococo taste, known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories representing the arts or pastoral occupations, intended as a sort of two-dimensional furniture...
.
In 1741, Lundberg was elected a member of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture or Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. But his popularity started to wane soon after, a result of new pastelists representing a more realistic style than his. During 1745 he traveled through Spain and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, stopping in Madrid to paint Louis XV's daughter Louise-Élisabeth, who was married to Philip
Philip, Duke of Parma
Philip of Spain was Duke of Parma from 1748 to 1765. He founded the House of Bourbon-Parma , a cadet line of the Spanish branch of the dynasty...
, the son of King Philip V
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
. Traveling via Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, he returned to Sweden by boat in the autumn. An already successful artist, he quickly established himself as the leading rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
painter in Sweden. Thanks to his friendship with Tessin, he was soon introduced at the Royal Court
Royal Court of Sweden
The Royal Court of Sweden is the official name for the organisation that supports the Monarch of Sweden, and the Royal House...
. In Sweden, Lundberg's light and elegant style was a break from the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style of portraiture that had previously predominated. In 1750, he was appointed court portrait painter or hovkonterfejare. He painted many portraits of the Crown Prince, later King Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. Towards the end of his career, he painted a portrait of the young Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in 1779.