3.2 Art Collections in the 18th Century
In the meantime Swedish collectors had taken a shine to Dutch pictures. When we compare Lucas von Breda’s (1726-1799) [1] article in the Stockholm Post of 1791/2 about the art collections of his time with NicodemusTessin’s ‘Projett’ of around a century before,1 we at once notice Breda’s detailed comments on Netherlandish artists such as Nicolaes Berchem, Philips Wouwerman, Paulus Potter, Guilliam de Heusch and Jacob van Ruisdael, which one looks for in vain with Tessin.2 This Breda owned a stately collection himself, which was sold in the 19th century.
1
Carl Fredrik von Breda
Portrait of Lucas von Breda II (1726-1799), father of the artist, dated 1797
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NM 941
2
Louis Tocqué
Portrait of Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (1695-1770), dated 1741
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NM 2388
3
Gustaf Lundberg
Portrait of Claes Grill (1705-1767), 1760s
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NMB 2740
Astonishingly we again owe this change in taste to French influence. In the 18th century, one could buy the best Dutch pictures in Paris. One of the most passionate Swedish collectors was the son of the above-mentioned Tessin, Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (1695-1770) [2], who was in Paris as Swedish envoy from 1739 to 1742. He grasped with both hands the opportunity to enrich the royal collection with French and Netherlandish works. In the books by Granberg one can review in detail what treasures came from Paris to Stockholm at the time. For instance, Tessin purchased the entire drawing collection of Pierre Crozat (1665-1740), later to cede it, along with many other collections, to his creditor Claes Grill (1705-1767) [3], who later sold them to the king.3 The gallant Adolf Fredrik gave everything to his spouse Louisa Ulrika (1720-1782) [4] who was also an avid collector. She owned more than 400 pictures, including many by Dutch artists, including both great ones, such as Rembrandt or Frans Hals [5-7], and minor masters. Even German artists of the 18th century who painted in the style of the old Dutch masters were well-represented. 4
4
Lorenz Pasch (II)
Portrait of Louisa Ulrika (1720-1782), Queen of Sweden, dated 1768
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NMDrh 501
5
Rembrandt
Young woman in profile, dated 1632
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NM 583
6
Rembrandt or after Rembrandt
An old scholar in a vaulted room, dated 1631
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NM 579
King Gustav III (1746-1792) [8] did not inherit everything, but he on his part again added Dutch pictures to his collection, including a Karel du Jardin valued at 10,000 Crowns [9]! These royal possessions form the core of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.5
The nobility and rich merchants followed the royal example. We adduce only two examples. The just-mentioned Claes Grill, a descendent of a Dutchman,6 decorated the walls of his house in Österby with good Dutch pictures, which he had for the greater part bought in Paris. However, one would search in vain for the greatest masters with him. With a division of 1876, much of the collection came into the possession of a collector named Tamm.7 The property of Count Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1746-1794) [10] creates a more distinguished impression. He also bought a lot on his journeys to France.8 Via several inheritances, his paintings ended up in the hands of Count Axel Wachtmeister (1827-1899) in Wanås, where they remain to this day – with the exception of a beautiful painting by Rembrandt, which was sold to America [11]. 9
7
Judith Leyster
Boy playing the flute, c. 1635
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. 1120
8
Carl Fredrik von Breda
Portrait of Gustav III (1746-1792) King of Sweden, years 1785-1789
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NMDrh 45
9
Karel du Jardin
Peasant girl milking a cow, dated 165[5 or 7]
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, inv./cat.nr. NM 485
10
Alexander Roslin
Portrait of Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1746-1794), dated 1769
Private collection
11
Rembrandt
Portrait of a young man seated at a table, c. 1660
Washington (D.C.), National Gallery of Art (Washington), inv./cat.nr. 1937.1.77
Notes
1 [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] ‘Projett pour un cabinet qui se pourrait fair à la cour des choses qui se trouve en Suède’, see Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 2 (1930), p. 98ff. See also above, § 1.5.
2 [Gerson 1942/1983] Reproduced in Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 3 (1932), p. 164.
3 [Gerson 1942/1983] Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 2 (1930) p. 144. [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] Bailey/Olausson et al. 1917.
4 [Gerson 1942/1983] On the collection of Louisa Ulrika: Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 2 (1930), p. 163-168. [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] The painting by ‘Hals’ listed in Granberg was already attributed to Judith Leyster (monogrammed JL*) by Hofstede de Groot 1893.
5 [Gerson 1942/1983] On the collection of Gustav III: Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 3 (1932) p. 7-27. [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] In Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 3 (1932), p. 16, from the extract of Gustav III's estate inventory, under no. 3: 'En Bondflicka, som mjölkar en ko, af Carle du Jardin. Har kostat 10.000 Dr Kmt'. For an overview of the collection history of Dutch and Flemish art of the Nationalmuseum: Frycklund 2013.
6 [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] Claes Grill originated from a family of Augsburg silversmiths. Due to the Thirty-years war, the grandfather of Grill, Anthony Grill I (c. 1608-1675) emigrated to Amsterdam and later to Stockholm. Claes became an extremely rich merchant, banker, factory and ship owner. He married his niece Anna Johanna Grill (1720-1778), a granddaughter of Martin Mijtens the Elder.
7 [Gerson 1942/1983] Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 2 (1930), p. 127-132, 230-234.[Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] At his death, the collection of Pehr Adolph Tamm (1774-1856) consisted of more than 350 works of art, many of which had been purchased or inherited from the Grill and Peill families. The collection included many 17th-century paintings from the Low Countries. In 1876, most of Tamm's collection was distributed to his descendants, all relatives. Other works were sold in 1916, when the family sold the Österby estate. See Tamm 2008.
8 [Gerson 1942/1983] Granberg 1929-1932, vol. 3 (1932), p. 55-70.
9 [Van Leeuwen/Roding 2024] Sparre’s collection was inherited by his grandson, Gustaf Adolf Fredrik De la Gardie (1800-1833). His father, who received the collection after his son’s early death, sold the estate and the collection in 1837 to count Carl De Geer of Leufsta (1781-1861). In 1855 De Geer sent a large part of the collection to Wånas, as a gift for his granddaughter, countess Elizabeth Wachtmeister (1834-1918), at the occasion of her wedding to count Axel Fredrik Wachtmeister (Broos/Van Leeuwen et al. 1990-1991, p. 387-393). Other paintings, objects and furniture of the Wachtmeister collection have been auctioned later on, e.g. at Sotheby’s (London), 2007-12-05/06 and Bukowskis (Stockholm), 2012-12-04/07.