Gottfrid Larsson
Encyclopedia
Gottfrid Larsson born November 21, 1875 in Vallerstad in Östergötland
, Sweden
, died December 24, 1947 in Stockholm
, Sweden, was a Swedish sculptor.
, his father was the farmer Anders Larsson. At the age of 14 he came to Norrköping in Östergötland
where he stayed and worked as a wood carver and studied wood-carving (wood-engraving) at the Technical Evening School in 1889-1895. Then he came to Stockholm
in 1895 and studied at the Tekniska skolan in Stockholm or Konstfack
(Högre konstindustriella skolan) there in 1895-1899. In 1900 he received a travel grant from the Svenska Slöjdföreningen and Kommerskollegium and then he continued his studies in Paris
at Académie Colarossi
in Paris
in 1900-1902. He assisted in the Royal Dramatic Theatre's
decoration in Stockholm
(Swedish: Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern or Dramaten in Stockholm), and in 1905 he helped Carl Milles
with his work for this theatre. The theatre has been at its present location in the Art Nouveau building at Nybroplan in Stockholm since 1908. Famous artists like Carl Milles
and Carl Larsson
were involved in making the decorations, and some of the interior decorations were made by Prince Eugen. After that Larsson continued his studies in Munich in 1905-1906 and he spent 1906-1907 in Italy
.
With the great scholarship from the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
he continued to study in France
, and he mostly lived in Paris
during the years 1908-1913, with visits to England, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. During his time in Paris
he got to know some other Swedish artists, who also studied at the Académie Colarossi
in Paris. There were, among others, his artist fellows Erik Tryggelin
(1878–1962) and David Wallin
(1876–1957). They all became friends for life from their time together in Paris. Académie Colarossi was an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. At this time it was located in 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. During his time in Paris Gottfrid Larsson married the Norwegian woman Karen Sofie Waaler in 1911, and she became Mrs. Karen Larsson.
From 1913 Larsson was working in Stockholm
. In 1920 Gottfrid Larsson founded a paiting school together with his art college, the painter and graphic artist Edward Berggren (1876–1961), who had also studied together with him at the Tekniska skolan in Stockholm, now Konstfack
(Högre konstindustriella skolan). Both Gottfrid Larsson and Edward Berggren were from Östergötland
.
Edward Berggren had studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
in Stockholm
during the years 1897-1903. Edward Berggren had been the head of Althins målarskola in Stockholm during the years 1919-1920, and in 1920 Edward Berggren established an own, private art school
in Stockholm together with his friend Gottfrid Larsson, Edward Berggrens målarskola (Edward Berggren art school). In 1956 the artist Idun Lovén (1916–1988) took over the school and ran it to 1988. The school is nowadays owned by Konstskolan Idun Lovén AB
and since 2004 the school has its place in Årsta, a suburb in Stockholm.
Gottfrid Larsson participated in exhibitions, among others in S:t Petersburg 1908, Munich 1909 and in San Francisco 1915. In 1935 Gottfrid Larsson had an exhibition in Konstnärshuset, together with the Swedish artist and designer Arthur Percy (1886–1976). Gottfrid Larsson’s fellow artist David Wallin
arranged some of his exhibitions in Skänninge
, an old built-up area from the medieval period, 5 km from Vallerstad in Östergötland, where Gottfrid Larsson was born.
Represented: Moderna museet in Stockholm
.
In Vadstena, in Skänningegatan 9, there is a sculpture museum called Gottfrid Larsson gården (Gottfrid Larsson garden), where the visitor can get acquainted with his work. After Gottfrid Larsson’s death in 1947 his wife Karen Larsson bought the so called Möllergården in Skänningegatan 9 in Vadstena. In 1953 she donated the whole garden and the sculpture collection, consisting of 125 sculptures, to Vadstena municipality. In 1979 the garden was opened to the public and Gottfrid Larsson’s many works could be exhibited.
Gottfrid Larsson died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1947, in Stockholm, he is buried in Vallerstad church cemetery, outside the town Skänninge
in Östergötland
.
From Gottfrid Larsson’s stay in Italy (1906–1907) and Paris (1908–1912):
Other examples of Gottfrid Larsson’s sculptures are:
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, died December 24, 1947 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...
, Sweden, was a Swedish sculptor.
Biography
Julius Gottfrid Andreas Larsson was born in 1875 in Narveryd’s farm in Vallerstad in ÖstergötlandÖstergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, his father was the farmer Anders Larsson. At the age of 14 he came to Norrköping in Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
where he stayed and worked as a wood carver and studied wood-carving (wood-engraving) at the Technical Evening School in 1889-1895. Then he came to 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...
in 1895 and studied at the Tekniska skolan in Stockholm or Konstfack
Konstfack
Konstfack or University College of Arts, Crafts and Design is a university college for higher education in the area of art, crafts and design in Stockholm, Sweden.- History :...
(Högre konstindustriella skolan) there in 1895-1899. In 1900 he received a travel grant from the Svenska Slöjdföreningen and Kommerskollegium and then he continued his studies in Paris
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...
at Académie Colarossi
Académie Colarossi
The Académie Colarossi is an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. First located on the Île de la Cité, it moved in the 1870s to 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France....
in Paris
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...
in 1900-1902. He assisted in the Royal Dramatic Theatre's
Royal Dramatic Theatre
The Royal Dramatic Theatre is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages....
decoration 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...
(Swedish: Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern or Dramaten in Stockholm), and in 1905 he helped Carl Milles
Carl Milles
Carl Milles was a Swedish sculptor, best known for his fountains. He was married to artist Olga Milles and brother to Ruth Milles and half brother to the architect Evert Milles...
with his work for this theatre. The theatre has been at its present location in the Art Nouveau building at Nybroplan in Stockholm since 1908. Famous artists like Carl Milles
Carl Milles
Carl Milles was a Swedish sculptor, best known for his fountains. He was married to artist Olga Milles and brother to Ruth Milles and half brother to the architect Evert Milles...
and Carl Larsson
Carl Larsson
Carl Larsson was a Swedish painter and interior designer, representative of the Arts and Crafts Movement. His many paintings include oils, watercolors, and frescoes...
were involved in making the decorations, and some of the interior decorations were made by Prince Eugen. After that Larsson continued his studies in Munich in 1905-1906 and he spent 1906-1907 in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
With the great scholarship from the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
The Royal Swedish Academy of Arts or Kungl. Akademien för de fria konsterna, founded in 1773 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
he continued to study in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and he mostly lived in Paris
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...
during the years 1908-1913, with visits to England, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. During his time in Paris
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...
he got to know some other Swedish artists, who also studied at the Académie Colarossi
Académie Colarossi
The Académie Colarossi is an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. First located on the Île de la Cité, it moved in the 1870s to 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France....
in Paris. There were, among others, his artist fellows Erik Tryggelin
Erik Tryggelin
Erik Viktor Tryggelin, born June 25, 1878, in Stockholm, died August 9, 1962, in Stockholm, was a Swedish artist, drawer and photographer.-Biography:...
(1878–1962) and David Wallin
David Wallin
David August Wallin was a Swedish artist...
(1876–1957). They all became friends for life from their time together in Paris. Académie Colarossi was an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. At this time it was located in 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. During his time in Paris Gottfrid Larsson married the Norwegian woman Karen Sofie Waaler in 1911, and she became Mrs. Karen Larsson.
From 1913 Larsson was working 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...
. In 1920 Gottfrid Larsson founded a paiting school together with his art college, the painter and graphic artist Edward Berggren (1876–1961), who had also studied together with him at the Tekniska skolan in Stockholm, now Konstfack
Konstfack
Konstfack or University College of Arts, Crafts and Design is a university college for higher education in the area of art, crafts and design in Stockholm, Sweden.- History :...
(Högre konstindustriella skolan). Both Gottfrid Larsson and Edward Berggren were from Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
.
Edward Berggren had studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
The Royal Swedish Academy of Arts or Kungl. Akademien för de fria konsterna, founded in 1773 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
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...
during the years 1897-1903. Edward Berggren had been the head of Althins målarskola in Stockholm during the years 1919-1920, and in 1920 Edward Berggren established an own, private art school
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
in Stockholm together with his friend Gottfrid Larsson, Edward Berggrens målarskola (Edward Berggren art school). In 1956 the artist Idun Lovén (1916–1988) took over the school and ran it to 1988. The school is nowadays owned by Konstskolan Idun Lovén AB
Konstskolan Idun Lovén
Konstskolan Idun Lovén is a preparative art school in Stockholm, Sweden. The school is named after sculptress and former headmaster Idun Lovén.- Education :...
and since 2004 the school has its place in Årsta, a suburb in Stockholm.
Gottfrid Larsson participated in exhibitions, among others in S:t Petersburg 1908, Munich 1909 and in San Francisco 1915. In 1935 Gottfrid Larsson had an exhibition in Konstnärshuset, together with the Swedish artist and designer Arthur Percy (1886–1976). Gottfrid Larsson’s fellow artist David Wallin
David Wallin
David August Wallin was a Swedish artist...
arranged some of his exhibitions in Skänninge
Skänninge
Skänninge is a locality situated in Mjölby Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 3,242 inhabitants in 2005. It lies about 10 km north of the municipal seat Mjölby....
, an old built-up area from the medieval period, 5 km from Vallerstad in Östergötland, where Gottfrid Larsson was born.
Represented: Moderna museet in Stockholm
Moderna Museet
Moderna museet, the Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, Sweden, is a state museum located on the island of Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm, that was first opened in 1958. Its first manager was Pontus Hultén...
.
In Vadstena, in Skänningegatan 9, there is a sculpture museum called Gottfrid Larsson gården (Gottfrid Larsson garden), where the visitor can get acquainted with his work. After Gottfrid Larsson’s death in 1947 his wife Karen Larsson bought the so called Möllergården in Skänningegatan 9 in Vadstena. In 1953 she donated the whole garden and the sculpture collection, consisting of 125 sculptures, to Vadstena municipality. In 1979 the garden was opened to the public and Gottfrid Larsson’s many works could be exhibited.
Gottfrid Larsson died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1947, in Stockholm, he is buried in Vallerstad church cemetery, outside the town Skänninge
Skänninge
Skänninge is a locality situated in Mjölby Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 3,242 inhabitants in 2005. It lies about 10 km north of the municipal seat Mjölby....
in Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
.
Artistic works
Among his early works are:- Mörkret flyr ljuset (Darkness Flees the Light), (Paris, 1902), an electrical candelabra;
- Kyssen (The Kiss), bronze;
- Toskanska (Tuscany Woman), marble;
- Carl Robert Lamm and his wife Dora Lamm, portrait busts of Carl Robert Lamm (1856–1938) and his wife Dora Lamm, marble;
From Gottfrid Larsson’s stay in Italy (1906–1907) and Paris (1908–1912):
- Gammal florentinare (Old man from Florence), marble;
- Florentinskt original (Florence Character), granite;
- Brutal kraft (Brutal Strength), bust, bronze, these were exhibited in 1912;
Other examples of Gottfrid Larsson’s sculptures are:
- Vid källan (By the Spring) and other female sculptures in marble;
- Min moder (My mother), marble;
- Oscar Montelius, black granite, Oscar Montelius (1843–1921), a Swedish archaeologist and custodian of national monuments;
Public sculptures to look at today
- Valsverksarbetare (Workers in a Rolling Mill), monumental group, exhibited in 1909 in the competition about industry monument, was placed in Södra folkparken, Stockholm in 1924;
- Valsverksarbetare (Workers in a Rolling Mill) (1910) in Överums Bruk in Kalmar municipality, Småland;
- Arbetaren (The Worker) (1917), bronze statue in Vasaparken, Stockholm;
- Arbetaren (The Worker) (1917), copy in the factory mill park in LövstabrukLövstabrukLövstabruk is a village built as a small city on a common in the parish of Österlövsta, Tierp Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden. In 2005 it had a population of 107, compared to some 1300 at its height during the 18th century. Lövsta is derived from lösta, an old Swedish word for glade...
, UpplandUpplandUppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
; - Man och kvinna (Man and Woman) (1920);
- Sjöjungfru och sjöhästar (Mermaid and Sea Horses) (1920), fountain in Järnvägsparken in LinköpingLinköpingLinköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
; - Såningsmannen (The Sower) (1946), at Östgöta nation in Uppsala UniversityUppsala UniversityUppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
; - Såningsmannen (The Sower) (1949), at Vallerstad church cemetery in ÖstergötlandÖstergötlandÖstergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
; - and moreover there are some portrait busts and decorative sculptures in NorrköpingNorrköpingNorrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
town hall and granite sculpture in Handelsbanken at Drottninggatan and Kungsgatan.
Sources
- Gottfrid Larsson i Konstnärslexikonett Amanda
- http://runeberg.org/nfcq/0059.htmlGottfrid Larsson in Nordisk FamiljebokNordisk familjebokNordisk familjebok is a Swedish encyclopedia, published between 1876 and 1957.- History :The first edition was published in 20 volumes between 1876 and 1899. The first edition is known as the "Iðunn edition" because of the picture of Iðunn on the cover...
, Uggleupplagan 37, Supplement L – Riksdag/, sidan 85-86, (1925)] - Gottfrid Larsson i Vem är det, Svensk Biografisk Handbok, 1925, sidan 424-425.
- Gottfrid Larsson i Vem är det, Svensk Biografisk Handbok, 1933, sid 479.
- IDUN, Illustrerad Tidning för Kvinnan och Hemmet, grundad av Frithiof Hellberg, torsdagen den 21 november 1907, 12 pdf-sidor, Kvinnohistoriska tidskrifter, Annie Frykholm om Agda Montelius, Gottfrid Larsson och Otto Strandman med flera.
- Gottfrid Larsson i Ancestry 2008-11-21
External links
- Pictures from Gottfrid Larssongården on page 23 (of 52 pages) Gottfrid Larssongården, Skänningegatan 9, Vadstena, Tidernas landskap, Vadstena Ödeshög 2007, www.tidernaslandskap.se
- Gottfrid Larssongården (Swedish)
- Carl Milles brev till Gottfrid Larsson (Swedish)
- Gottfrid Larssongården, Skulptursamling, Katalog (Swedish)
- Norrköpings rådhus 100 år, 1910-2010, på sidan 11 av 24 sidor, pdf-fil Trapphallen och vestibulen i Norrköpings rådhus. I den stora trapphallens vestibul möter vi två marmorgrupper av bildhuggaren Gottfrid Larsson. Till höger i vestibulen ser vi Klokheten, konstnärens symbol för kommunalförvaltningen, som ursprungligen disponerade rådhusets högra halva, och till vänster Rättvisan, representerande rådhusrätten och polisen i den vänstra halvan av byggnaden.
- Picture of Vallerstad church, Mjölby, Sweden
- Picture of Vallerstad church, Mjölby, Sweden, outside Skänninge
- Svensk konst (Swedish)
- Art Signature Dictionary - Se Gottfrid Larssons signatur