The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Stockholm, Sweden

Nike from Samotrakhe

Carl Larsson (1853-1919), Ernst Josephsson (1851-1906),  Jenny Nyström (1854-1946) and Eva Bonnier (1857-1909) were all students at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Konstakademin) I did not even know that this building existed  until last september, but then I am not born and raised in Stockholm. Anyhow, it is almost magical to walk on the worn stairs where all these  well known Swedish artist have walked.

The National Museum of Fine Art (Nationalmuseum) is closed until 2017 because of extensive renovation and that is why you now can go to Konstakademin  and see some of the highlights from the national gallery of Sweden.

Eva Bonnier: Interior of the studio in Paris, 1886 

Amalia Lindegren (1814-1891): The breakfast, 1866

Amanda Lidvall,  Self-portrait 1870/71 (detail)

Amanda was one of the first 18 female students that were accepted when the Royal Academy of Fine Arts opened its door for women in 1864. 

Eva Bonnier: Mrs Hanna Marcus 1886

Ernst Josephsson: Mrs Hanna Marcus, 1880

Hugo Salmson (1843-1894): Portrait of a Young Girl, ca 1880

Vilhelm Hammershöi (1864-1919): Interior, 1898

Rembrandt Harmensz. Van Rijn (1606-1669): The Kitchen Maid, 1651

Rembrandt Harmensz. Van Rijn: Simeon in the Temple, 1668/69

Alexander Roslin (1718-1793): The Artist with his Wife Marie Suzanne Giroust Painting
a Portrait of Henrik Vilhelm Peill, 1767
Alexander Roslin died in 1793 and was then the richest artist in Paris.

Compare this painting with the painting of the Kitchen Maid by Rembrandt (above) made almost 100 years earlier.
Which style do you prefer?

Alexander Roslin: The Lady with the Veil, 1768

Rembrandt: Self-portrait, 1630

Gustave Coubert (1819-1877): Jo, the Beautiful Irish Girl

Frida Fjellman,: Räv, 2007

When I was returning home from this uplifting art experience I and other pedestrians on Drottninggatan were entertained by this man: he was singing MY WAY and with such empathy you just could not dismiss him. He was a true artist!