My husband was planning a trip to Sweden in late September to research the great 19th century painters and playwrights who influenced the visuals and themes of Ingmar Bergman's films. I fell in love with Stockholm in 2005 and was excited to be returning.
We spent two weeks in Sweden visiting galleries and museums with a roadtrip in the middle to the Nordic Watercolor Museum in Skärhamn; a day in Göteborg; the museum and home of the great watercolorist Anders Zorn in Mora; and to Sundborn to visit the home and museum of artist Carl Larsson.
First stop Stockholm's Scenkonstmuseet, for the "Truth and Lies" Bergman exhibit.
A short video.
The following day, the Swedish Film Institute.
Because our clever friend Mark Johnson bought tickets ahead of time, we had the grand experience of seeing a new opera at the 18th century Drottningham Palace Theatre, where Bergman filmed The Magic Flute.
The Siblings of Mantua tells the story of the composer Salamone Rossi and his opera singer sister Europa who were celebrated for their musical genius but banished from the court because they were Jewish.
Sets were created by Swedish artist Karin Mamma Andersson.
Here is a video of the long standing ovation.
I made a new friend during intermission.
Watch the very enthusiastic standing ovation for the performance.
The roadtrip begins. Nordic Akvarelle Museet in Skärhamn.
The guest studios where we stayed. 2nd from the right.
View from the studio.
The bridge from the museum to the cottages (drawing below).
Morning.
At night the lighthouse glows. The museum restaurant is at the far right. The glow on the left is one of the museum's art studios for guests.
"Created by the artists Wolfgang Winter and Berthold Horbelt from Germany, a cylindrical structure about six metres tall, sited on a low rocky outcrop next to the Nordic Watercolour Museum. It is constructed of mint green beer crates from Germany and lit inside by eight spotlights." — Akvarell Museet
I was introduced to the work of Lena Cronqvist in Stockholm, and came home with two books of her drawings and paintings.
Lars Lerin
Textured cold press watercolor paper is not a paper I am used to. I prefer hot press. But when in Rome, or Skärhamn... let's try something new.
And read art books found in the cupboard.
Dreamy views from the car driving north to Mora. That's Lake Vänern.
We arrived in Mora after dark. This is what I saw when I opened the curtains in the morning.
Visit to the Zorn Museet. And the home of Anders Zorn.
The museum director Eric Hook gave us an insightful tour of the Strindberg Museet exhibit and Strindberg's apartment.
Playwright, novelist, essayist and painter! I studied this one carefully.
At the Thielska Galleriet we saw more work by Munch, known for his tortured paintings of melancholy and despair, and clearly a big influence on Bergman.
We did not see the Scream but it is Munch's best known painting.
I returned to Södermalm with the mission of showing my new book to the English Bookshop. I got lucky when the friendly bookseller named Tom remembered Paris-Chien from his days at Shakespeare and Company in Paris. Quelle coincidence. Now the books are available in Stockholm.
We ate very well.
All my favorite things: gravlax, rågbröd, herring with knäckebröd, and kardemummabullar (cardamon buns)!
Lunch at Lisa Elmqvist in Stockholm Saluhall.
Bengali street food at Shanti Gossip.
I could go on, but let's end where we began with a video about the Akvarell Museet with Bera Nordal, the brilliant museum director who was such a generous host to us.
We spent two weeks in Sweden visiting galleries and museums with a roadtrip in the middle to the Nordic Watercolor Museum in Skärhamn; a day in Göteborg; the museum and home of the great watercolorist Anders Zorn in Mora; and to Sundborn to visit the home and museum of artist Carl Larsson.
First stop Stockholm's Scenkonstmuseet, for the "Truth and Lies" Bergman exhibit.
A short video.
The following day, the Swedish Film Institute.
Because our clever friend Mark Johnson bought tickets ahead of time, we had the grand experience of seeing a new opera at the 18th century Drottningham Palace Theatre, where Bergman filmed The Magic Flute.
The Siblings of Mantua tells the story of the composer Salamone Rossi and his opera singer sister Europa who were celebrated for their musical genius but banished from the court because they were Jewish.
Sets were created by Swedish artist Karin Mamma Andersson.
Here is a video of the long standing ovation.
I made a new friend during intermission.
Watch the very enthusiastic standing ovation for the performance.
The roadtrip begins. Nordic Akvarelle Museet in Skärhamn.
The guest studios where we stayed. 2nd from the right.
View from the studio.
The bridge from the museum to the cottages (drawing below).
Morning.
At night the lighthouse glows. The museum restaurant is at the far right. The glow on the left is one of the museum's art studios for guests.
"Created by the artists Wolfgang Winter and Berthold Horbelt from Germany, a cylindrical structure about six metres tall, sited on a low rocky outcrop next to the Nordic Watercolour Museum. It is constructed of mint green beer crates from Germany and lit inside by eight spotlights." — Akvarell Museet
I was introduced to the work of Lena Cronqvist in Stockholm, and came home with two books of her drawings and paintings.
Ollie Lyykainen
Katia Tukiainen
Lars Lerin
The museum provides paint, paper and easels for visitors. When my husband had meetings, I painted.
Textured cold press watercolor paper is not a paper I am used to. I prefer hot press. But when in Rome, or Skärhamn... let's try something new.
And read art books found in the cupboard.
Dreamy views from the car driving north to Mora. That's Lake Vänern.
We arrived in Mora after dark. This is what I saw when I opened the curtains in the morning.
Visit to the Zorn Museet. And the home of Anders Zorn.
We met this feisty girl in Mora while shopping for gloves and hats before heading to Sundborn.
We drove to Sundborn where we were given a tour of Little Hyttnäs, the home of artists Carl and Karin Larsson. Carl and Karin met at an artists colony outside of Paris. She was also a painter. When they married she gave up painting to raise a family but continued to create textiles for the home.
The research team: curator Mark Johnson and filmmaker Steve Ujlaki stand in front of the window pictured in the painting above.
Carl's painting of Karin and her loom.
Karin Larsson created the chair textile in the guestroom. Photos from the Larsson website. We were not allowed to take photos inside.
The lake behind the home reminded me of a Renoir film.
Goodbye Sundborn.
Back in Stockholm... while waiting for the Strindberg Museum to open, we walked over to Tegnerlunden Park and observed the local dogs.
We drove to Sundborn where we were given a tour of Little Hyttnäs, the home of artists Carl and Karin Larsson. Carl and Karin met at an artists colony outside of Paris. She was also a painter. When they married she gave up painting to raise a family but continued to create textiles for the home.
The research team: curator Mark Johnson and filmmaker Steve Ujlaki stand in front of the window pictured in the painting above.
Carl's painting of Karin and her loom.
Karin Larsson created the chair textile in the guestroom. Photos from the Larsson website. We were not allowed to take photos inside.
The lake behind the home reminded me of a Renoir film.
Goodbye Sundborn.
Back in Stockholm... while waiting for the Strindberg Museum to open, we walked over to Tegnerlunden Park and observed the local dogs.
The museum director Eric Hook gave us an insightful tour of the Strindberg Museet exhibit and Strindberg's apartment.
Playwright, novelist, essayist and painter! I studied this one carefully.
Here is a portrait of Strindberg by Edvard Munch.
At the Thielska Galleriet we saw more work by Munch, known for his tortured paintings of melancholy and despair, and clearly a big influence on Bergman.
Edvard Munch, Despair, 1892, oil on canvas. Theil Gallery, Stockholm.
We did not see the Scream but it is Munch's best known painting.
I returned to Södermalm with the mission of showing my new book to the English Bookshop. I got lucky when the friendly bookseller named Tom remembered Paris-Chien from his days at Shakespeare and Company in Paris. Quelle coincidence. Now the books are available in Stockholm.
We ate very well.
All my favorite things: gravlax, rågbröd, herring with knäckebröd, and kardemummabullar (cardamon buns)!
Lunch at Lisa Elmqvist in Stockholm Saluhall.
Bengali street food at Shanti Gossip.
I could go on, but let's end where we began with a video about the Akvarell Museet with Bera Nordal, the brilliant museum director who was such a generous host to us.
