Introduction 6

TorpaVaumlstergoumltland 12Fiholm Soumldermanland 22

Skokloster Uppland 30StroumlmsholmVaumlstmanland 46Laumlnna Parsonage Uppland 54

StolaVaumlstergoumltland 62Loumlvsta Bruk Uppland 72

Stora Nyckelviken Soumldermanland 82Huvudsta Uppland 92

Hallunda Soumldermanland 102Maringrtes Haumllsingland 114

Heby Dalarna 126Gustav IIIrsquos PavilionHaga Uppland 136

SiggebohyttanVaumlstmanland 152Krusenberg Uppland 164

StjernsundNaumlrke 174YstegaringrnHillsta Haumllsingland 186Faringgelsjouml Gammelgaringrd Dalarna 196Troumlnouml ParsonageHaumllsingland 206

A Farm in Blacksta Naumlrke 212

Map 222Bibliography 223

Index 224

HALF-TITLE PAGE A door lock atFaringgelsjouml

FRONTISPIECE Detail of the paintingof the Chinese boat by LarsBolander in the ChineseDining Room at Stroumlmsholm

RIGHT Looking from the halldown the enfilade at Stola

Copyrightcopy2010SusannaSchermanPhotographs copyright copy 2010Aringke Eson Lindman

All rights reservedPublished in the United States byTheMonacelli Press a division ofRandomHouse Inc NewYork

Published simultaneously in theUnited Kingdom by Thames ampHudson Ltd London

TheMonacelli Press andM designare registered trademarks ofRandomHouse Inc

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataScherman SusannaThe Swedish country house Susanna Scherman photographsby Aringke Eson Lindman ndash 1st edp cmIncludes bibliographicalreferences and indexISBN 978-1-58093-294-3(hardcover)1 Country homes ndash Sweden2 Interior decoration ndash Sweden3 Decoration and ornamentRustic ndash Sweden I LindmanAringke Eson II TitleNA7566S9S34 20107283709485 ndash dc222010015573

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1First American Edition

wwwmonacellipresscom

Contents

Introduction 6

TorpaVaumlstergoumltland 12Fiholm Soumldermanland 22

Skokloster Uppland 30StroumlmsholmVaumlstmanland 46Laumlnna Parsonage Uppland 54

StolaVaumlstergoumltland 62Loumlvsta Bruk Uppland 72

Stora Nyckelviken Soumldermanland 82Huvudsta Uppland 92

Hallunda Soumldermanland 102Maringrtes Haumllsingland 114

Heby Dalarna 126Gustav IIIrsquos PavilionHaga Uppland 136

SiggebohyttanVaumlstmanland 152Krusenberg Uppland 164

StjernsundNaumlrke 174YstegaringrnHillsta Haumllsingland 186Faringgelsjouml Gammelgaringrd Dalarna 196Troumlnouml ParsonageHaumllsingland 206

A Farm in Blacksta Naumlrke 212

Map 222Bibliography 223

Index 224

HALF-TITLE PAGE A door lock atFaringgelsjouml

FRONTISPIECE Detail of the paintingof the Chinese boat by LarsBolander in the ChineseDining Room at Stroumlmsholm

RIGHT Looking from the halldown the enfilade at Stola

Copyrightcopy2010SusannaSchermanPhotographs copyright copy 2010Aringke Eson Lindman

All rights reservedPublished in the United States byTheMonacelli Press a division ofRandomHouse Inc NewYork

Published simultaneously in theUnited Kingdom by Thames ampHudson Ltd London

TheMonacelli Press andM designare registered trademarks ofRandomHouse Inc

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataScherman SusannaThe Swedish country house Susanna Scherman photographsby Aringke Eson Lindman ndash 1st edp cmIncludes bibliographicalreferences and indexISBN 978-1-58093-294-3(hardcover)1 Country homes ndash Sweden2 Interior decoration ndash Sweden3 Decoration and ornamentRustic ndash Sweden I LindmanAringke Eson II TitleNA7566S9S34 20107283709485 ndash dc222010015573

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1First American Edition

wwwmonacellipresscom

Contents

6

Introduction

On 23 July 1757 Carl Fredrik Adelcrantzarchitect Superintendent and Knight of theOrder of the Pole Starmade a speech to theRoyal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm Itwas a long and substantial speech about thevalue and utility of the fine arts ndash architecturepainting and sculpture This was the Age ofLiberty when Sweden was absorbed bythoughts that a vigorous domestic industryand the manufacture of handicrafts could helpthe country out of the economic crisis it wasundergoing and usher in new days of gloryArchitecture and interiors he argued werenot merely a matter of style or fashion also tobe considered was what each class was entitledto in terms of architectural status and whatimpact that right had on society as a wholeAt the top the king and the nobles were allowedto build great palaces with sumptuous interiorspaintings sculptures and so on This was agood thing since it provided work for hundredsof artists and craftsmen

6

Introduction

On 23 July 1757 Carl Fredrik Adelcrantzarchitect Superintendent and Knight of theOrder of the Pole Starmade a speech to theRoyal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm Itwas a long and substantial speech about thevalue and utility of the fine arts ndash architecturepainting and sculpture This was the Age ofLiberty when Sweden was absorbed bythoughts that a vigorous domestic industryand the manufacture of handicrafts could helpthe country out of the economic crisis it wasundergoing and usher in new days of gloryArchitecture and interiors he argued werenot merely a matter of style or fashion also tobe considered was what each class was entitledto in terms of architectural status and whatimpact that right had on society as a wholeAt the top the king and the nobles were allowedto build great palaces with sumptuous interiorspaintings sculptures and so on This was agood thing since it provided work for hundredsof artists and craftsmen

The next class down on the social scale was the

bourgeoisie who wereAdelcrantz considered lsquoby nature

entitled to the same pleasures and comforts as the

noblemanrsquo they were enterprising practising trade and

crafts frommorning till night and so they deserved a

comfortable home with beautiful interiors andmodern

furniture Farmers could not expect the same standard

of living as the bourgeois but they could perhaps buy a

few beautiful objects and their desire for such things

would encourage them to work harder with their crops

and growmore for sale thus improving agriculture The

fact that people built and decorated their homes was

good for society but all should keep to the standards of

their class Adelcrantz argued that lsquoA nationrsquos strength or

weakness its assets exploited or left dormant the success

or failure of its trade its industriousness or laziness its

taste for the arts or its indifference ndash all are revealed in

the smallest things as well as in the greatestrsquo

These things included architecture and interior

features such as painted walls decorative canvas

applied to walls wallpapers ceilings fireplaces and

tiled stoves and that is what this book is about housing

in the country for members of the various social strata

from the Swedish Renaissance to the late 19th century

There are many similarities between the buildings and

interiors that the groups created for themselves but

there are also distinctive styles that reflect what was

considered suitable for the different types of house

and their inhabitants

For many centuriesmost people in almost all social

classes practiced some kind of agriculture and lived in

modest wooden houses often built of logs In the 14th

century however aristocrats started to build castles of

stoneAs these came to be used in rebellions their

construction was several times prohibited but in the

15th century building resumed in the form of what are

known as enkelhusborgar ndash rectangular stone buildings

with steep gables and high ceilings The oldest house in

this book Torpa (pp 12ndash21) was erected at this time

At first these houses had no internal decoration and

Introduction 9

became something that went on far awayApart from the

stone houses there were manors consisting merely of

houses and farm buildings built of logs arranged in a

closed square which could be defended against armed

attacks some of these belonged to aristocrats who

needed a place to stay on their large estates or when

travelling through the expanse of Sweden Such

structures remained common for a long time into the

first half of the 19th century even among peasants

Swedish architecture and interior design had long

been influenced by France and that influence became

direct in 1637 when the French architect Simon de La

Valleacutee (c 1600ndash1642) was summoned to the court of

Queen ChristinaWith him came Nicodemus Tessin

(1615ndash81) a military architect from Stralsund in

Pomerania Sweden was a new superpower in Northern

Europe successful on the battlefield and at home rich

and full of untapped resources In the Queenrsquos reign

(1632ndash54) the nobles came to own two-thirds of the

land and their numbers doubled to six hundred

families Palaces and town houses were needed like those

in France to ensure that powerful figures had a setting

that emphasized their wealthAn intensive period of

construction began and the nobles built large castles

some of themmagnificent such asMagnus Gabriel

De la Gardiersquos Laumlckouml and Carl Gustaf Wrangelrsquos

Skokloster Skokloster (pp 30ndash45) was the first castle

with separate suites for husband and wife on either side

of the hall on the Frenchmodel in Baroque style

In order to be exempt from tax houses had to be built

to a high standard Technology had evolved considerably

since the time of the stone houses built for defence

houses were now built of bricks fired in a kiln on the

farm and the farm labourers helped the builders New

roof-trusses were developed and a distinctive type of

roof called a saumlteritak or lsquomanor house roof rsquo ndash effectively

two roofs one above the other with a windowed

division between them called an lsquoItalianrsquo ndash became a

symbol of noble architecture in the countryside

Fireplaces were now sited not on the outer wall but

primitive hearths or none at all It was the all-powerful

church that had the resources to hire painters and

craftsmen

All that changed with the Reformation in the 16th

century The reign of GustavVasa who came to the

throne in 1523 and died in 1560 saw the end of the

Middle Ages Sweden became Protestant and the King

took over the power and properties of the Church

He and his sons initiated an intense campaign of

constructionOld castles were renovated and then new

ones were built Builders were sent for from abroad and

sumptuous interiors were created based onmodels

supplied by prints GustavVasa introduced the

Renaissance and the nobles too began to decorate and

embellish their houses The presence of iron ore has

always been a vital asset for Sweden and the King

reorganized its production leading to a vigorous

development in the mining districts In Uppland and

Bergslagen for example a special building tradition

grew up in the 16th and 17th centuries with manors

next to the ironworks and bergsmansgaringrdarna or farms

for the miners

The 17th century was the age of the aristocracy when

Sweden became a great force in Europe Gustav II Adolf

(reigned 1611ndash32) wanted to make the country into a

military superpower he organized the armed forces

introducedmilitary service and gave the nobles special

privileges exclusive rights to all offices and tax

exemptions In the Thirty YearsrsquoWar which broke out

in 1618 Sweden was largely successful The whole of

society was affected (many people made a fortune from

the war) as were culture and the arts The aristocrats

were given Crown land and the King expected them to

build impressive manors and to make agriculture more

efficient These tax-exempt estates or saumlterier numbered

more than a thousand The farmersrsquo positions were in

danger since power was now in the hands of the nobility

A period of transition began The stone castles had been

used as bases for internal strife now defensive features

first diminished and then disappeared completely as war

8 Introduction

against the main internal wall ceilings were decorated

with plaster or paint walls were covered with gilt leather

or tapestryA very important development was the tiled

stove gradually introduced in the course of the 17th

century it helped to revolutionize Swedish interiors

by making the rooms warm and comfortable The

large manor houses built in the 1600s were virtually

uninhabitable in the cold season with only fireplaces

for heat people lived in the wings and the central house

was used for entertaining

Manor houses built in the 17th century and up to the

middle of the 18th century were often in what is known

as the Carolinian style Sweden was ruled by a succession

of kings called Karl between 1658 and 1718 and the style

carried on for some time after that The houses are

characterized by a restrained classicismwith a touch of

Baroque the kings were always at war and lack of money

made the style austere Two grander houses in this style

are Stola (pp 62ndash71) and Loumlvsta Bruk (pp 72ndash81) The

use of wood as a buildingmaterial had amajor impact on

design as the overall size of a building and the size of its

rooms were determined by the length of available logs

The holdings of the aristocrats were reduced from c 1650

under Christina and Karl XI (1660ndash97) when through

the Reduktionen the Crown recovered its landsNobles

now lost half their estates and not until the 18th century

did they begin to buildmanors again

Priestswealthy farmers andminers lived in rather

similar buildings Their houses often took the form

known as parstuga literally a lsquodouble cabinrsquoor lsquodouble

roomrsquo a log house with a central entrance hall and a room

behind that flanked by two rooms ndash on one side a room

that could be used for social gatherings and on the other

side a kitchenThere were one or two small bedrooms as

well but usually everyone slept in the kitchen during the

winter close to the stove to avoid freezing to death (it was

very common to find that the water in which youwould

wash your hands was frozen in themorning) Peasants

lived very simplymostly in log housesmany without

even a chimney just a hole in the roof

ON PAGE 7 A classical door in the KnightsrsquoHall at Torpa

(see pp 16ndash17) added to the room c 1620Above it are

earlier wall-paintings with dolphins and architectural

details suggesting an elaborate Renaissance doorcase

The next class down on the social scale was the

bourgeoisie who wereAdelcrantz considered lsquoby nature

entitled to the same pleasures and comforts as the

noblemanrsquo they were enterprising practising trade and

crafts frommorning till night and so they deserved a

comfortable home with beautiful interiors andmodern

furniture Farmers could not expect the same standard

of living as the bourgeois but they could perhaps buy a

few beautiful objects and their desire for such things

would encourage them to work harder with their crops

and growmore for sale thus improving agriculture The

fact that people built and decorated their homes was

good for society but all should keep to the standards of

their class Adelcrantz argued that lsquoA nationrsquos strength or

weakness its assets exploited or left dormant the success

or failure of its trade its industriousness or laziness its

taste for the arts or its indifference ndash all are revealed in

the smallest things as well as in the greatestrsquo

These things included architecture and interior

features such as painted walls decorative canvas

applied to walls wallpapers ceilings fireplaces and

tiled stoves and that is what this book is about housing

in the country for members of the various social strata

from the Swedish Renaissance to the late 19th century

There are many similarities between the buildings and

interiors that the groups created for themselves but

there are also distinctive styles that reflect what was

considered suitable for the different types of house

and their inhabitants

For many centuriesmost people in almost all social

classes practiced some kind of agriculture and lived in

modest wooden houses often built of logs In the 14th

century however aristocrats started to build castles of

stoneAs these came to be used in rebellions their

construction was several times prohibited but in the

15th century building resumed in the form of what are

known as enkelhusborgar ndash rectangular stone buildings

with steep gables and high ceilings The oldest house in

this book Torpa (pp 12ndash21) was erected at this time

At first these houses had no internal decoration and

Introduction 9

became something that went on far awayApart from the

stone houses there were manors consisting merely of

houses and farm buildings built of logs arranged in a

closed square which could be defended against armed

attacks some of these belonged to aristocrats who

needed a place to stay on their large estates or when

travelling through the expanse of Sweden Such

structures remained common for a long time into the

first half of the 19th century even among peasants

Swedish architecture and interior design had long

been influenced by France and that influence became

direct in 1637 when the French architect Simon de La

Valleacutee (c 1600ndash1642) was summoned to the court of

Queen ChristinaWith him came Nicodemus Tessin

(1615ndash81) a military architect from Stralsund in

Pomerania Sweden was a new superpower in Northern

Europe successful on the battlefield and at home rich

and full of untapped resources In the Queenrsquos reign

(1632ndash54) the nobles came to own two-thirds of the

land and their numbers doubled to six hundred

families Palaces and town houses were needed like those

in France to ensure that powerful figures had a setting

that emphasized their wealthAn intensive period of

construction began and the nobles built large castles

some of themmagnificent such asMagnus Gabriel

De la Gardiersquos Laumlckouml and Carl Gustaf Wrangelrsquos

Skokloster Skokloster (pp 30ndash45) was the first castle

with separate suites for husband and wife on either side

of the hall on the Frenchmodel in Baroque style

In order to be exempt from tax houses had to be built

to a high standard Technology had evolved considerably

since the time of the stone houses built for defence

houses were now built of bricks fired in a kiln on the

farm and the farm labourers helped the builders New

roof-trusses were developed and a distinctive type of

roof called a saumlteritak or lsquomanor house roof rsquo ndash effectively

two roofs one above the other with a windowed

division between them called an lsquoItalianrsquo ndash became a

symbol of noble architecture in the countryside

Fireplaces were now sited not on the outer wall but

primitive hearths or none at all It was the all-powerful

church that had the resources to hire painters and

craftsmen

All that changed with the Reformation in the 16th

century The reign of GustavVasa who came to the

throne in 1523 and died in 1560 saw the end of the

Middle Ages Sweden became Protestant and the King

took over the power and properties of the Church

He and his sons initiated an intense campaign of

constructionOld castles were renovated and then new

ones were built Builders were sent for from abroad and

sumptuous interiors were created based onmodels

supplied by prints GustavVasa introduced the

Renaissance and the nobles too began to decorate and

embellish their houses The presence of iron ore has

always been a vital asset for Sweden and the King

reorganized its production leading to a vigorous

development in the mining districts In Uppland and

Bergslagen for example a special building tradition

grew up in the 16th and 17th centuries with manors

next to the ironworks and bergsmansgaringrdarna or farms

for the miners

The 17th century was the age of the aristocracy when

Sweden became a great force in Europe Gustav II Adolf

(reigned 1611ndash32) wanted to make the country into a

military superpower he organized the armed forces

introducedmilitary service and gave the nobles special

privileges exclusive rights to all offices and tax

exemptions In the Thirty YearsrsquoWar which broke out

in 1618 Sweden was largely successful The whole of

society was affected (many people made a fortune from

the war) as were culture and the arts The aristocrats

were given Crown land and the King expected them to

build impressive manors and to make agriculture more

efficient These tax-exempt estates or saumlterier numbered

more than a thousand The farmersrsquo positions were in

danger since power was now in the hands of the nobility

A period of transition began The stone castles had been

used as bases for internal strife now defensive features

first diminished and then disappeared completely as war

8 Introduction

against the main internal wall ceilings were decorated

with plaster or paint walls were covered with gilt leather

or tapestryA very important development was the tiled

stove gradually introduced in the course of the 17th

century it helped to revolutionize Swedish interiors

by making the rooms warm and comfortable The

large manor houses built in the 1600s were virtually

uninhabitable in the cold season with only fireplaces

for heat people lived in the wings and the central house

was used for entertaining

Manor houses built in the 17th century and up to the

middle of the 18th century were often in what is known

as the Carolinian style Sweden was ruled by a succession

of kings called Karl between 1658 and 1718 and the style

carried on for some time after that The houses are

characterized by a restrained classicismwith a touch of

Baroque the kings were always at war and lack of money

made the style austere Two grander houses in this style

are Stola (pp 62ndash71) and Loumlvsta Bruk (pp 72ndash81) The

use of wood as a buildingmaterial had amajor impact on

design as the overall size of a building and the size of its

rooms were determined by the length of available logs

The holdings of the aristocrats were reduced from c 1650

under Christina and Karl XI (1660ndash97) when through

the Reduktionen the Crown recovered its landsNobles

now lost half their estates and not until the 18th century

did they begin to buildmanors again

Priestswealthy farmers andminers lived in rather

similar buildings Their houses often took the form

known as parstuga literally a lsquodouble cabinrsquoor lsquodouble

roomrsquo a log house with a central entrance hall and a room

behind that flanked by two rooms ndash on one side a room

that could be used for social gatherings and on the other

side a kitchenThere were one or two small bedrooms as

well but usually everyone slept in the kitchen during the

winter close to the stove to avoid freezing to death (it was

very common to find that the water in which youwould

wash your hands was frozen in themorning) Peasants

lived very simplymostly in log housesmany without

even a chimney just a hole in the roof

ON PAGE 7 A classical door in the KnightsrsquoHall at Torpa

(see pp 16ndash17) added to the room c 1620Above it are

earlier wall-paintings with dolphins and architectural

details suggesting an elaborate Renaissance doorcase

12

Torpa Vaumlstergoumltland

Torpa Castle stands picturesquely reflectingthe waters of Lake Aringsunden It is a large houseof stone now painted white which makes itvisible from afar Themain front has irregularlyplaced windows of different sizes and risingabove the roof is a bell-tower painted in Falured indicating the presence of a chapel insideThe building is one of the oldest in Swedenenlarged and altered over the years Onemightthink today that this area in the middle of thewoods was always peaceful but the borderbetween Sweden and Denmark formerly ranhere presenting a constant risk of conflictand there were frequent peasant revoltsNevertheless the location was consideredattractive because of its nearness to the riversAumltran andViskan which favoured trade

12

Torpa Vaumlstergoumltland

Torpa Castle stands picturesquely reflectingthe waters of Lake Aringsunden It is a large houseof stone now painted white which makes itvisible from afar Themain front has irregularlyplaced windows of different sizes and risingabove the roof is a bell-tower painted in Falured indicating the presence of a chapel insideThe building is one of the oldest in Swedenenlarged and altered over the years Onemightthink today that this area in the middle of thewoods was always peaceful but the borderbetween Sweden and Denmark formerly ranhere presenting a constant risk of conflictand there were frequent peasant revoltsNevertheless the location was consideredattractive because of its nearness to the riversAumltran andViskan which favoured trade

20 Torpa

The oldest surviving element is probably the murals painted in

Renaissance style in the mid-16th century when the nobility had begun

to engage painters to decorate their houses Probably from the same

period are the paintings around the doors and windows ndash frames with

architectural motifs such as pilasters carrying an entablature with spheres

or dolphins The effect of a beamed ceiling is created with paint again

in blue-grey on the boards and strips of woodAmid the small-scale

acanthus fruits and flowers if we look very closely we can see two

portraits perhaps meant to represent the owners at the time Gustav

Stenbock and BeataMargareta Brahe Some of the paintings are hidden

behind later wooden doorframes painted to resemble more expensive

timbers These were probably added at the same time as the fireplaces

around 1620 and like them they have a strong classical character

The Kingrsquos Hall on the top floor of the 16th-century addition has a

ceiling with images of Roman gods and goddesses probably painted

around 1650

In the mid-1660s it seems work began on transforming the old kitchen

into a chapel Progress was slow and it was not consecrated until 1699

Castle chapels are not common in Sweden although from theMiddle Ages

some of the nobility had the right to hold religious services in their houses

with their own priests The chapel at Torpa with its very well preserved

Baroque interior is therefore a real treasure

OPPOSITE AND BELOW The chapel has a well-

preserved late 17th-century interior with a

peaceful and friendly atmosphere Lavishly

decorated pews for the family and their

guests are set left and right of the altar

where gilded sculptures of Faith and Hope

flank a painting of the Entombment ndash

believed to be booty brought back from

Germany during the Thirty YearsWar The

simpler pews further back were for servants

and peasants The carvings in Baroque style

and the pulpit are the work of the German

sculptor Hans Christoffer Datan who

perhaps followed Gustav Otto Stenbock

back to Sweden after the war The pulpit

is supported by an Atlas-like figure and

decorated with gilded ornament including

acanthus foliage

Torpa 21

20 Torpa

The oldest surviving element is probably the murals painted in

Renaissance style in the mid-16th century when the nobility had begun

to engage painters to decorate their houses Probably from the same

period are the paintings around the doors and windows ndash frames with

architectural motifs such as pilasters carrying an entablature with spheres

or dolphins The effect of a beamed ceiling is created with paint again

in blue-grey on the boards and strips of woodAmid the small-scale

acanthus fruits and flowers if we look very closely we can see two

portraits perhaps meant to represent the owners at the time Gustav

Stenbock and BeataMargareta Brahe Some of the paintings are hidden

behind later wooden doorframes painted to resemble more expensive

timbers These were probably added at the same time as the fireplaces

around 1620 and like them they have a strong classical character

The Kingrsquos Hall on the top floor of the 16th-century addition has a

ceiling with images of Roman gods and goddesses probably painted

around 1650

In the mid-1660s it seems work began on transforming the old kitchen

into a chapel Progress was slow and it was not consecrated until 1699

Castle chapels are not common in Sweden although from theMiddle Ages

some of the nobility had the right to hold religious services in their houses

with their own priests The chapel at Torpa with its very well preserved

Baroque interior is therefore a real treasure

OPPOSITE AND BELOW The chapel has a well-

preserved late 17th-century interior with a

peaceful and friendly atmosphere Lavishly

decorated pews for the family and their

guests are set left and right of the altar

where gilded sculptures of Faith and Hope

flank a painting of the Entombment ndash

believed to be booty brought back from

Germany during the Thirty YearsWar The

simpler pews further back were for servants

and peasants The carvings in Baroque style

and the pulpit are the work of the German

sculptor Hans Christoffer Datan who

perhaps followed Gustav Otto Stenbock

back to Sweden after the war The pulpit

is supported by an Atlas-like figure and

decorated with gilded ornament including

acanthus foliage

Torpa 21

114

Maringrtes Haumllsingland

Maringrtes is one of the finest farms in Haumllsinglandin the north of Sweden ndash way past the point atwhich according to an old saying oak crayfishand nobles should halt Farmers had long beenthe dominant class there next to pastors andofficers and in the 18th century the provinceflourished on the profits from flax and forestsIn the 19th century the farmersrsquo position insociety was challenged by other groups andthe extravagant houses that they built mayhave been designed to manifest their power

114

Maringrtes Haumllsingland

Maringrtes is one of the finest farms in Haumllsinglandin the north of Sweden ndash way past the point atwhich according to an old saying oak crayfishand nobles should halt Farmers had long beenthe dominant class there next to pastors andofficers and in the 18th century the provinceflourished on the profits from flax and forestsIn the 19th century the farmersrsquo position insociety was challenged by other groups andthe extravagant houses that they built mayhave been designed to manifest their power

Maringrtes 125

of logs fictive stonework was normally a feature of entrance halls In the

largest room on this floor there is a complete series of Dalecarlia paintings

with subjects from the Bible The people depicted are dressed in costumes

that were modern in the 1830s The scenes include houses several storeys

high of a type seen in many Haumllsingland paintings The lsquokurbitsrsquo or trees

in these paintings are of several types suggesting that at least two painters

worked together ndash typically a master and an assistant The word lsquokurbitsrsquo

was taken to mean lsquotreersquo in Hebrew used in Swedish Bibles for the tree

that God caused to shoot up from the ground to shade Jonah as he rested

The lsquokurbitsrsquo in theMaringrtes paintings lean over the people and give them

shade suggesting that the artist knew the story This type of painting

was common in the first half of the 19th century but religious subjects

were later abandoned in favour of more cheerful pictures of towns

and landscapes

The first floor has paintings of 1834

depicting various subjects from the

Bible with identifying texts above them

OPPOSITE The painting on the left shows

the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon

The bed with its knotted pile cover is

contemporary with the paintings

ABOVE LEFT King Ahab demands the

vineyard of Naboth which was near

his palace Twomen are shown speaking

outside an enclosed garden with a vine

ABOVE RIGHT Aman and a woman carrying

a baby walk towards a lsquokurbitsrsquo the subject

is the Flight into Egypt

124 Maringrtes

Maringrtes 125

of logs fictive stonework was normally a feature of entrance halls In the

largest room on this floor there is a complete series of Dalecarlia paintings

with subjects from the Bible The people depicted are dressed in costumes

that were modern in the 1830s The scenes include houses several storeys

high of a type seen in many Haumllsingland paintings The lsquokurbitsrsquo or trees

in these paintings are of several types suggesting that at least two painters

worked together ndash typically a master and an assistant The word lsquokurbitsrsquo

was taken to mean lsquotreersquo in Hebrew used in Swedish Bibles for the tree

that God caused to shoot up from the ground to shade Jonah as he rested

The lsquokurbitsrsquo in theMaringrtes paintings lean over the people and give them

shade suggesting that the artist knew the story This type of painting

was common in the first half of the 19th century but religious subjects

were later abandoned in favour of more cheerful pictures of towns

and landscapes

The first floor has paintings of 1834

depicting various subjects from the

Bible with identifying texts above them

OPPOSITE The painting on the left shows

the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon

The bed with its knotted pile cover is

contemporary with the paintings

ABOVE LEFT King Ahab demands the

vineyard of Naboth which was near

his palace Twomen are shown speaking

outside an enclosed garden with a vine

ABOVE RIGHT Aman and a woman carrying

a baby walk towards a lsquokurbitsrsquo the subject

is the Flight into Egypt

124 Maringrtes

126

Heby Soumldermanland

Heby is perched on a hill with a magnificentview over Lake Klaumlmmingen In this provincethere are some four hundredmanors due to therelatively short distance from Stockholm andthe rich agricultural landMany of themwerebuilt in the 18th century to designs by the verybest architects and with interiors by the bestcraftsmen preferably those who also worked inStockholm for the royal court From the mid-century onward the region saw a floweringof comfortable country houses ndash not smallbut not huge either with walls covered withpainted canvas often decorated with flowersor ornaments in Rococo style simple woodenfloors and tiled stoves themselves with prettydecoration There were always two wingsand they form an important part of thecomposition The manors were almost alwaysapproached down tree-lined avenues oftenvery long It was not unusual for an aristocratto own several manors each of themwith afarm land and frequently a large forest as well

126

Heby Soumldermanland

Heby is perched on a hill with a magnificentview over Lake Klaumlmmingen In this provincethere are some four hundredmanors due to therelatively short distance from Stockholm andthe rich agricultural landMany of themwerebuilt in the 18th century to designs by the verybest architects and with interiors by the bestcraftsmen preferably those who also worked inStockholm for the royal court From the mid-century onward the region saw a floweringof comfortable country houses ndash not smallbut not huge either with walls covered withpainted canvas often decorated with flowersor ornaments in Rococo style simple woodenfloors and tiled stoves themselves with prettydecoration There were always two wingsand they form an important part of thecomposition The manors were almost alwaysapproached down tree-lined avenues oftenvery long It was not unusual for an aristocratto own several manors each of themwith afarm land and frequently a large forest as well

174

Stjernsund Naumlrke

Stjernsund is situated on the headland joiningtwo lakes StoraVaumlttern and Alsen in thesouthernmost part of the province of NaumlrkeThis is a landscape of deep forests where thepresence of iron led to the establishment ofironworks and estates Earl Johan GabrielOxenstierna bought an estate here in 1637named it after himself and immediately builta house New owners came and went when thehouse was sold in 1785 it was dilapidated andold-fashioned so it was torn down and a newbuilding erected That building was intendedto reflect the status of Olof Burenstam ownerof the Skyllbergs and Sonstorps ironworksand it was to be absolutely up-to-date Butwas it beautiful

174

Stjernsund Naumlrke

Stjernsund is situated on the headland joiningtwo lakes StoraVaumlttern and Alsen in thesouthernmost part of the province of NaumlrkeThis is a landscape of deep forests where thepresence of iron led to the establishment ofironworks and estates Earl Johan GabrielOxenstierna bought an estate here in 1637named it after himself and immediately builta house New owners came and went when thehouse was sold in 1785 it was dilapidated andold-fashioned so it was torn down and a newbuilding erected That building was intendedto reflect the status of Olof Burenstam ownerof the Skyllbergs and Sonstorps ironworksand it was to be absolutely up-to-date Butwas it beautiful

Stjernsund 181180 Stjernsund

officially the owner in 1851He began renovation workwhich resulted

in some of the finestmid-19th-century interiors in SwedenThe style is a

mixture of late NeoclassicismNeo-Rococo andNeo-Gothic stylesMost

of the furniture in what is now the dining roomwas delivered by the

Stockholm cabinetmaker JohanWahlgren in 1852 Tragically the Prince

died in that yearwhen he was only twenty-five and he never saw the

finished interiorA few years later his younger brother PrinceAugust bought

the house and continued the renovation Stjernsundwas never a royal palace

it was the private property of members of the royal family until 1860when

it was acquired by the ironworksmanager Knut CasselHis family owned

it for nearly a hundred years and they preserved it with reverence

The interiors created for Prince Gustav are unique On the walls of the

large drawing room are paintings of Italian landscapes by the Hamburg

artist Fritz Hagedorn (who had worked for Oscar I in the Pavilion at

Haga) executed in 1848 after engravings in Carl Frommelrsquos Pittoreskes

Italien (1840) ndash Lake Nemi Terni the Cascata della Marmora in Umbria

theValley of Aosta and the Bay of Naples They are surrounded by a

striking turquoise colour below them is a dado skilfully painted to look

like stone The roomwas heated by two shiny white tiled stoves decorated

with Neo-Gothic ornament in relief installed at the end of the 1840s

Neoclassical doors leading to the entrance hall probably survive from an

earlier interior by Sundvall

The large drawing room is flanked by two smaller rooms with painted

decoration by Hagedorn the library and the small sitting room In

the library the walls are transformed into an illusionistic Neo-Gothic

pergola In the small sitting room Neo-Renaissance in style paintings

in light blue creamy yellow and gold make the room appear to have a

padded ceiling and walls the ensemble is very well preserved and the

colours retain their luminosity Hardly any other royal interiors of this

date survive which makes these particularly notable (They did not

find favour with the 20th-century ideal and some people may still find

it difficult to like them Such wall-paintings were common in the mid-

19th century for example in Haumllsingland perhaps if they were by a less

skilful hand than Hagedornrsquos we might find it easier to be charmed by

the result) The last room in the enfilade is the Royal Bedroom where

Queen Josephina the mother of Prince Gustav slept when visiting the

castle The interior is not preserved but the bed is still there with its

original hangings

Only the most important rooms were painted The rest were hung

with wallpapers that form a particularly valuable collection Prince Gustav

himself selected them in a store at Stora Nygatan in Stockholm They

are of very high quality and were probably made in FranceMost of the

patterns imitate textiles such as velvetmoireacute and chintz One technique

used was flocking the pattern is printed in adhesive and while it is still

The walls of the large drawing room have

paintings by the German artist Fritz

Hagedorn ndash here the Cascata della Marmora

and Lake Nemi On the left are a very

precious Gustavian bureau and armchairs

The sofa and chairs on the right are of the

1850s with their green silk upholstery they

look very pretty against the pink carpet

In what was the drawing room (now the

dining room) the white marble fireplace

and the overmantel mirror with its gilded

frame in Neoclassical style were designed

by Sundvall The paintings on the walls

also designed by Sundvall are still in good

condition but the polar bear has found its

final resting place on the floorMost of the

furniture was delivered in 1852 when the

house belonged to the descendants of

Karl XIV Johan

Stjernsund 181180 Stjernsund

officially the owner in 1851He began renovation workwhich resulted

in some of the finestmid-19th-century interiors in SwedenThe style is a

mixture of late NeoclassicismNeo-Rococo andNeo-Gothic stylesMost

of the furniture in what is now the dining roomwas delivered by the

Stockholm cabinetmaker JohanWahlgren in 1852 Tragically the Prince

died in that yearwhen he was only twenty-five and he never saw the

finished interiorA few years later his younger brother PrinceAugust bought

the house and continued the renovation Stjernsundwas never a royal palace

it was the private property of members of the royal family until 1860when

it was acquired by the ironworksmanager Knut CasselHis family owned

it for nearly a hundred years and they preserved it with reverence

The interiors created for Prince Gustav are unique On the walls of the

large drawing room are paintings of Italian landscapes by the Hamburg

artist Fritz Hagedorn (who had worked for Oscar I in the Pavilion at

Haga) executed in 1848 after engravings in Carl Frommelrsquos Pittoreskes

Italien (1840) ndash Lake Nemi Terni the Cascata della Marmora in Umbria

theValley of Aosta and the Bay of Naples They are surrounded by a

striking turquoise colour below them is a dado skilfully painted to look

like stone The roomwas heated by two shiny white tiled stoves decorated

with Neo-Gothic ornament in relief installed at the end of the 1840s

Neoclassical doors leading to the entrance hall probably survive from an

earlier interior by Sundvall

The large drawing room is flanked by two smaller rooms with painted

decoration by Hagedorn the library and the small sitting room In

the library the walls are transformed into an illusionistic Neo-Gothic

pergola In the small sitting room Neo-Renaissance in style paintings

in light blue creamy yellow and gold make the room appear to have a

padded ceiling and walls the ensemble is very well preserved and the

colours retain their luminosity Hardly any other royal interiors of this

date survive which makes these particularly notable (They did not

find favour with the 20th-century ideal and some people may still find

it difficult to like them Such wall-paintings were common in the mid-

19th century for example in Haumllsingland perhaps if they were by a less

skilful hand than Hagedornrsquos we might find it easier to be charmed by

the result) The last room in the enfilade is the Royal Bedroom where

Queen Josephina the mother of Prince Gustav slept when visiting the

castle The interior is not preserved but the bed is still there with its

original hangings

Only the most important rooms were painted The rest were hung

with wallpapers that form a particularly valuable collection Prince Gustav

himself selected them in a store at Stora Nygatan in Stockholm They

are of very high quality and were probably made in FranceMost of the

patterns imitate textiles such as velvetmoireacute and chintz One technique

used was flocking the pattern is printed in adhesive and while it is still

The walls of the large drawing room have

paintings by the German artist Fritz

Hagedorn ndash here the Cascata della Marmora

and Lake Nemi On the left are a very

precious Gustavian bureau and armchairs

The sofa and chairs on the right are of the

1850s with their green silk upholstery they

look very pretty against the pink carpet

In what was the drawing room (now the

dining room) the white marble fireplace

and the overmantel mirror with its gilded

frame in Neoclassical style were designed

by Sundvall The paintings on the walls

also designed by Sundvall are still in good

condition but the polar bear has found its

final resting place on the floorMost of the

furniture was delivered in 1852 when the

house belonged to the descendants of

Karl XIV Johan

Stjernsund 183

wet chopped wool or silk is sprinkled on it The most expensive papers

were hung in the rooms on the upper floor used by the Prince himself

where they were given a gold frame Finest of all is one with a magnificent

acanthus pattern in flock on a gold background In a simpler room there

is a less expensive but equally beautiful red flock paper embellished with a

wallpaper borderA wallpaper in the finest guest room close to the Princersquos

rooms imitates chintz with a winding pattern of what look like coral

beads enhanced with gold it is printed in a single colour from engraved

metal cylinders a technique patented by Jean Zuber (see p 171) and it has

been suggested that this paper was perhaps made by Zuberrsquos firmOn this

floor a long corridor runs the length of the buildingAt the end is a desk

where the guest could sit and write letters looking out over the lake

There is no evidence that the wings farther from the house were

designed by Sundvall and their interiors were decorated during the royal

period That to the north-east is called the PrincersquosWing as it was prepared

for Prince Gustav when the house was undergoing renovation It contains

several bedrooms with Neoclassical tiled stoves and wallpapers of 1849

in blue and grey tones creating a beautiful suite One bedroom has striped

wallpaper designed to look like moireacute silk first a pattern was impressed

on the paper to suggest the grain of moireacute silk and then the paper was

printed with colour and gold

OPPOSITE In the library the walls were

painted by Hagedorn in 1848 The room

has a nice mixture of furniture in different

styles assembled during Knut Casselrsquos

ownership after 1860 The large chandelier

is one of several at Stjernsund designed

for electric light a novelty in the late

19th century

ABOVE LEFT The small sitting room displays

a characteristically eclectic mixture of styles

The tiled stove is Neoclassical the painted

walls use Renaissancemotifs (as well as fictive

effects of upholstery) and the furniture is

Neo-Rococo of the 1850s This room has

scarcely been touched since it was decorated

ABOVE RIGHT A bedroom in the Princersquos

Wing has wallpaper imitating moireacute

silk hung in 1849A lace canopy shelters

the contemporary bed bought in 1852

in Stockholm

182 Stjernsund

Stjernsund 183

wet chopped wool or silk is sprinkled on it The most expensive papers

were hung in the rooms on the upper floor used by the Prince himself

where they were given a gold frame Finest of all is one with a magnificent

acanthus pattern in flock on a gold background In a simpler room there

is a less expensive but equally beautiful red flock paper embellished with a

wallpaper borderA wallpaper in the finest guest room close to the Princersquos

rooms imitates chintz with a winding pattern of what look like coral

beads enhanced with gold it is printed in a single colour from engraved

metal cylinders a technique patented by Jean Zuber (see p 171) and it has

been suggested that this paper was perhaps made by Zuberrsquos firmOn this

floor a long corridor runs the length of the buildingAt the end is a desk

where the guest could sit and write letters looking out over the lake

There is no evidence that the wings farther from the house were

designed by Sundvall and their interiors were decorated during the royal

period That to the north-east is called the PrincersquosWing as it was prepared

for Prince Gustav when the house was undergoing renovation It contains

several bedrooms with Neoclassical tiled stoves and wallpapers of 1849

in blue and grey tones creating a beautiful suite One bedroom has striped

wallpaper designed to look like moireacute silk first a pattern was impressed

on the paper to suggest the grain of moireacute silk and then the paper was

printed with colour and gold

OPPOSITE In the library the walls were

painted by Hagedorn in 1848 The room

has a nice mixture of furniture in different

styles assembled during Knut Casselrsquos

ownership after 1860 The large chandelier

is one of several at Stjernsund designed

for electric light a novelty in the late

19th century

ABOVE LEFT The small sitting room displays

a characteristically eclectic mixture of styles

The tiled stove is Neoclassical the painted

walls use Renaissancemotifs (as well as fictive

effects of upholstery) and the furniture is

Neo-Rococo of the 1850s This room has

scarcely been touched since it was decorated

ABOVE RIGHT A bedroom in the Princersquos

Wing has wallpaper imitating moireacute

silk hung in 1849A lace canopy shelters

the contemporary bed bought in 1852

in Stockholm

182 Stjernsund