Oscar Björck
Encyclopedia
Oscar Gustaf Björck was a Swedish
painter and a professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
.
Born in Stockholm, from 1877 to 1882, Björck was a student of Edvard Perséus at the Academy where his paintings included Loke fängslas af asarne (Loki imprisoned by Asar) (1880), Gustaf Vasa inför kung Hans (Gustaf Vasa before King Hans) (1881) and Den förlorade sonens återkomst (Return of the prodigal son) (1882) which was awarded the Royal Medal. In 1883, Björck was awarded a travel scholarship. He spent the winter of 1883-84 in Paris. The following winter, he went to Munich where he painted a few portraits, including a full-length painting of his wife. In the spring of 1885, he moved to Venice and, in the autumn, to Rome where he painted the large portrait of Susanna (Museum of Gothenburg) and Romerska smeder (Roman blacksmiths) (Washington National Gallery of Art, Washington). In 1887, he completed a number of paintings including the Veneziansk saluhall (Venetian hall) (National Museum of Sweden), and Lördagsmässa i Markuskyrkan (Saturday Mass in St. Mark's Church).
After summer stays at Skagen
in Denmark in 1882 and 1884, he finally settled in Stockholm in 1888 where he concentrated on portraits. These include several of King Oscar
(among them one at Skokloster Castle
, a full-length at Drottningholm Palace
, one with crown and mantle in Stockholm's Royal Palace, and one which was acquired by the German emperor. He also painted Prins Eugen vid staffliet (Prinz Eugen at the easel) (National Museum, 1895); Crown Prince Gustaf (Royal Palace, 1900), The Artist's Wife (full-length, 1891, Gothenburg Museum) and Baron Nordenfalk (Royal Academy, 1892). In addition, he completed a few landscapes, a couple of genres and various decorative paintings.
From 1889, he was a member of the Academy and its teaching staff and in 1898, he became a professor. Björck was Commissar for Art at the Stockholm Exhibition in 1897, for the Baltic Exhibition in 1914 and for the Swedish exhibition in London in 1924.
Björck's earliest portraits were influenced by Georg von Rosen
and his pictures from Skagen reflected the influence of Danish artists, especially Peder Severin Krøyer
. In many of his characteristic works, he depicted the Swedish middle class of his times.
and Holger Drachmann
. It was not just the Skagen landscape that attracted him but equally the warmth and hospitality of the artists themselves. Björck spent several summers there, completing some of his best paintings under the influence of Krøyer and the French Naturalism movement.
Oscar Björck (with a hat) can be seen drinking champagne in Krøyer's famous painting Hip, Hip, Hurrah!
(1888) which shows several of the Skagen Painters celebrating in the Anchers' garden.
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....
painter and a professor 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...
.
Born in Stockholm, from 1877 to 1882, Björck was a student of Edvard Perséus at the Academy where his paintings included Loke fängslas af asarne (Loki imprisoned by Asar) (1880), Gustaf Vasa inför kung Hans (Gustaf Vasa before King Hans) (1881) and Den förlorade sonens återkomst (Return of the prodigal son) (1882) which was awarded the Royal Medal. In 1883, Björck was awarded a travel scholarship. He spent the winter of 1883-84 in Paris. The following winter, he went to Munich where he painted a few portraits, including a full-length painting of his wife. In the spring of 1885, he moved to Venice and, in the autumn, to Rome where he painted the large portrait of Susanna (Museum of Gothenburg) and Romerska smeder (Roman blacksmiths) (Washington National Gallery of Art, Washington). In 1887, he completed a number of paintings including the Veneziansk saluhall (Venetian hall) (National Museum of Sweden), and Lördagsmässa i Markuskyrkan (Saturday Mass in St. Mark's Church).
After summer stays at Skagen
Skagen
Skagen is a projection of land and a town, with a population of 8,515 , in Region Nordjylland on the northernmost tip of Vendsyssel-Thy, a part of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark...
in Denmark in 1882 and 1884, he finally settled in Stockholm in 1888 where he concentrated on portraits. These include several of King Oscar
Oscar II of Sweden
Oscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
(among them one at Skokloster Castle
Skokloster Castle
Skokloster Castle is located on Lake Mälaren between Stockholm and Uppsala. It was built in the Baroque style between 1654 and 1676 by the wealthy military commander and count Carl Gustaf Wrangel. The castle was designed by architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder...
, a full-length at Drottningholm Palace
Drottningholm Palace
The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...
, one with crown and mantle in Stockholm's Royal Palace, and one which was acquired by the German emperor. He also painted Prins Eugen vid staffliet (Prinz Eugen at the easel) (National Museum, 1895); Crown Prince Gustaf (Royal Palace, 1900), The Artist's Wife (full-length, 1891, Gothenburg Museum) and Baron Nordenfalk (Royal Academy, 1892). In addition, he completed a few landscapes, a couple of genres and various decorative paintings.
From 1889, he was a member of the Academy and its teaching staff and in 1898, he became a professor. Björck was Commissar for Art at the Stockholm Exhibition in 1897, for the Baltic Exhibition in 1914 and for the Swedish exhibition in London in 1924.
Björck's earliest portraits were influenced by Georg von Rosen
Georg von Rosen
Georg von Rosen , was a Swedish painter, known for his treatment of subjects from Swedish history and Norse mythology...
and his pictures from Skagen reflected the influence of Danish artists, especially Peder Severin Krøyer
Peder Severin Krøyer
Peder Severin Krøyer , known as P.S. Krøyer, was a Norwegian-Danish painter. He is one of the best known and beloved, and undeniably the most colorful of the Skagen Painters, a community of Danish and Nordic artists who lived, gathered or worked in Skagen, Denmark, especially during the final...
. In many of his characteristic works, he depicted the Swedish middle class of his times.
Summers in Skagen
Björck was encouraged to go to Skagen in 1882 by P.S. Krøyer whom he had met in Paris and for whom he showed great admiration. He immediately became attached to the artists' community there, especially Michael Ancher, his wife AnnaAnna Ancher
Anna Ancher was a Danish artist associated with the Skagen Painters, an artists' colony in the very north of Jutland.-Background:...
and Holger Drachmann
Holger Drachmann
Holger Henrik Herholdt Drachmann , was a Danish poet and dramatist. He is an outstanding figure of the Modern Break-Through....
. It was not just the Skagen landscape that attracted him but equally the warmth and hospitality of the artists themselves. Björck spent several summers there, completing some of his best paintings under the influence of Krøyer and the French Naturalism movement.
Oscar Björck (with a hat) can be seen drinking champagne in Krøyer's famous painting Hip, Hip, Hurrah!
Hip, Hip, Hurrah!
Hip, Hip, Hurrah! is an oil-on-canvas painting from 1888 by Norwegian-Danish painter Peder Severin Krøyer...
(1888) which shows several of the Skagen Painters celebrating in the Anchers' garden.