HALF-TITLE PAGE A door lock at

Fågelsjö.

FRONTISPIECE Detail of the painting

of the Chinese boat by Lars
Bolander in the Chinese
Dining Room at Strömsholm.
Contents
RIGHT Looking from the hall
down the enfilade at Stola.

Copyright © 2010 Susanna

Scherman
Photographs copyright © 2010
Introduction 6
Åke E:son Lindman

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by
Torpa, Västergötland 12
The Monacelli Press, a division of
Random House, Inc., New York. Fiholm, Södermanland 22
Published simultaneously in the
United Kingdom by Thames &
Hudson, Ltd., London.
Skokloster, Uppland 30
The Monacelli Press and M design
are registered trademarks of
Random House, Inc.
Strömsholm, Västmanland 46
Library of Congress Cataloging-
in-Publication Data
Länna Parsonage, Uppland 54
Scherman, Susanna.
The Swedish country house /
Susanna Scherman ; photographs
Stola, Västergötland 62
by Åke E:son Lindman. – 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical
Lövsta Bruk, Uppland 72
references and index.
ISBN 978-1-58093-294-3
(hardcover)
Stora Nyckelviken, Södermanland 82
1. Country homes – Sweden.
2. Interior decoration – Sweden.
3. Decoration and ornament,
Huvudsta, Uppland 92
Rustic – Sweden. I. Lindman,
Åke E:son. II. Title.
NA7566.S9S34 2010
728'.3709485 – dc22
Hallunda, Södermanland 102
2010015573

Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First American Edition
www.monacellipress.com
Mårtes, Hälsingland 114
Heby, Dalarna 126
Gustav III’s Pavilion, Haga, Uppland 136
Siggebohyttan, Västmanland 152
Krusenberg, Uppland 164
Stjernsund, Närke 174
Ystegårn, Hillsta, Hälsingland 186
Fågelsjö Gammelgård, Dalarna 196
Trönö Parsonage, Hälsingland 206
A Farm in Blacksta, Närke 212

Map 222
Bibliography 223
Index 224
HALF-TITLE PAGE A door lock at
Fågelsjö.

FRONTISPIECE Detail of the painting

of the Chinese boat by Lars
Bolander in the Chinese
Dining Room at Strömsholm.
Contents
RIGHT Looking from the hall
down the enfilade at Stola.

Copyright © 2010 Susanna

Scherman
Photographs copyright © 2010
Introduction 6
Åke E:son Lindman

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by
Torpa, Västergötland 12
The Monacelli Press, a division of
Random House, Inc., New York. Fiholm, Södermanland 22
Published simultaneously in the
United Kingdom by Thames &
Hudson, Ltd., London.
Skokloster, Uppland 30
The Monacelli Press and M design
are registered trademarks of
Random House, Inc.
Strömsholm, Västmanland 46
Library of Congress Cataloging-
in-Publication Data
Länna Parsonage, Uppland 54
Scherman, Susanna.
The Swedish country house /
Susanna Scherman ; photographs
Stola, Västergötland 62
by Åke E:son Lindman. – 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical
Lövsta Bruk, Uppland 72
references and index.
ISBN 978-1-58093-294-3
(hardcover)
Stora Nyckelviken, Södermanland 82
1. Country homes – Sweden.
2. Interior decoration – Sweden.
3. Decoration and ornament,
Huvudsta, Uppland 92
Rustic – Sweden. I. Lindman,
Åke E:son. II. Title.
NA7566.S9S34 2010
728'.3709485 – dc22
Hallunda, Södermanland 102
2010015573

Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First American Edition
www.monacellipress.com
Mårtes, Hälsingland 114
Heby, Dalarna 126
Gustav III’s Pavilion, Haga, Uppland 136
Siggebohyttan, Västmanland 152
Krusenberg, Uppland 164
Stjernsund, Närke 174
Ystegårn, Hillsta, Hälsingland 186
Fågelsjö Gammelgård, Dalarna 196
Trönö Parsonage, Hälsingland 206
A Farm in Blacksta, Närke 212

Map 222
Bibliography 223
Index 224
 Introduction

On 23 July 1757 Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz,

architect, Superintendent and Knight of the
Order of the Pole Star, made a speech to the
Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. It
was a long and substantial speech about the
value and utility of the fine arts – architecture,
painting and sculpture. This was the Age of
Liberty, when Sweden was absorbed by
thoughts that a vigorous domestic industry,
and the manufacture of handicrafts, could help
the country out of the economic crisis it was
undergoing and usher in new days of glory.
Architecture and interiors, he argued, were
not merely a matter of style or fashion: also to
be considered was what each class was entitled
to in terms of architectural status, and what
impact that right had on society as a whole.
At the top, the king and the nobles were allowed
to build great palaces, with sumptuous interiors,
paintings, sculptures, and so on. This was a
good thing, since it provided work for hundreds
of artists and craftsmen.
6
 Introduction

On 23 July 1757 Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz,

architect, Superintendent and Knight of the
Order of the Pole Star, made a speech to the
Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. It
was a long and substantial speech about the
value and utility of the fine arts – architecture,
painting and sculpture. This was the Age of
Liberty, when Sweden was absorbed by
thoughts that a vigorous domestic industry,
and the manufacture of handicrafts, could help
the country out of the economic crisis it was
undergoing and usher in new days of glory.
Architecture and interiors, he argued, were
not merely a matter of style or fashion: also to
be considered was what each class was entitled
to in terms of architectural status, and what
impact that right had on society as a whole.
At the top, the king and the nobles were allowed
to build great palaces, with sumptuous interiors,
paintings, sculptures, and so on. This was a
good thing, since it provided work for hundreds
of artists and craftsmen.
6
 ON PAGE 7 A classical door in the Knights’ Hall at Torpa
(see pp. 16–17), added to the room c. 1620. Above 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 were, Adelcrantz considered, ‘by nature
entitled to the same pleasures and comforts as the
nobleman’: they were enterprising, practising trade and
crafts from morning till night, and so they deserved a
comfortable home with beautiful interiors and modern
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 grow more 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 ‘A nation’s 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 – all are revealed in
the smallest things, as well as in the greatest.’
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 centuries, most 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
stone. As 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 – rectangular stone buildings
with steep gables and high ceilings. The oldest house in
this book, Torpa (pp. 12–21), was erected at this time.
At first these houses had no internal decoration, and
8 Introduction
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 Gustav Vasa, 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
construction. Old castles were renovated, and then new
ones were built. Builders were sent for from abroad, and
sumptuous interiors were created based on models
supplied by prints. Gustav Vasa 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 bergsmansgårdarna 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 1611–32) wanted to make the country into a
military superpower: he organized the armed forces,
introduced military service, and gave the nobles special
privileges, exclusive rights to all offices, and tax
exemptions. In the Thirty Years’ War, 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 säterier numbered
more than a thousand. The farmers’ 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
became something that went on far away. Apart 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
Vallée (c. 1600–1642) was summoned to the court of
Queen Christina. With him came Nicodemus Tessin
(1615–81), 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 Queen’s reign
(1632–54) 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 wealth. An intensive period of
construction began, and the nobles built large castles,
some of them magnificent, such as Magnus Gabriel
De la Gardie’s Läckö and Carl Gustaf Wrangel’s
Skokloster. Skokloster (pp. 30–45) was the first castle
with separate suites for husband and wife on either side
of the hall on the French model, 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 säteritak or ‘manor house roof ’ – effectively
two roofs, one above the other, with a windowed
division between them called an ‘Italian’ – became a
symbol of noble architecture in the countryside.
Fireplaces were now sited not on the outer wall but
against the main internal wall; ceilings were decorated
with plaster or paint; walls were covered with gilt leather
or tapestry. A 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 classicism, with 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. 62–71) and Lövsta Bruk (pp. 72–81). The
use of wood as a building material had a major 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 (1660–97), when through
the Reduktionen the Crown recovered its lands. Nobles
now lost half their estates, and not until the 18th century
did they begin to build manors again.
Priests, wealthy farmers and miners lived in rather
similar buildings. Their houses often took the form
known as parstuga, literally a ‘double cabin’ or ‘double
room’: a log house with a central entrance hall and a room
behind that, flanked by two rooms – on one side a room
that could be used for social gatherings, and on the other
side a kitchen. There 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 you would
wash your hands was frozen in the morning). Peasants
lived very simply, mostly in log houses, many without
even a chimney, just a hole in the roof.
Introduction 9
 ON PAGE 7 A classical door in the Knights’ Hall at Torpa
(see pp. 16–17), added to the room c. 1620. Above 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 were, Adelcrantz considered, ‘by nature
entitled to the same pleasures and comforts as the
nobleman’: they were enterprising, practising trade and
crafts from morning till night, and so they deserved a
comfortable home with beautiful interiors and modern
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 grow more 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 ‘A nation’s 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 – all are revealed in
the smallest things, as well as in the greatest.’
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 centuries, most 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
stone. As 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 – rectangular stone buildings
with steep gables and high ceilings. The oldest house in
this book, Torpa (pp. 12–21), was erected at this time.
At first these houses had no internal decoration, and
8 Introduction
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 Gustav Vasa, 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
construction. Old castles were renovated, and then new
ones were built. Builders were sent for from abroad, and
sumptuous interiors were created based on models
supplied by prints. Gustav Vasa 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 bergsmansgårdarna 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 1611–32) wanted to make the country into a
military superpower: he organized the armed forces,
introduced military service, and gave the nobles special
privileges, exclusive rights to all offices, and tax
exemptions. In the Thirty Years’ War, 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 säterier numbered
more than a thousand. The farmers’ 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
became something that went on far away. Apart 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
Vallée (c. 1600–1642) was summoned to the court of
Queen Christina. With him came Nicodemus Tessin
(1615–81), 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 Queen’s reign
(1632–54) 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 wealth. An intensive period of
construction began, and the nobles built large castles,
some of them magnificent, such as Magnus Gabriel
De la Gardie’s Läckö and Carl Gustaf Wrangel’s
Skokloster. Skokloster (pp. 30–45) was the first castle
with separate suites for husband and wife on either side
of the hall on the French model, 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 säteritak or ‘manor house roof ’ – effectively
two roofs, one above the other, with a windowed
division between them called an ‘Italian’ – became a
symbol of noble architecture in the countryside.
Fireplaces were now sited not on the outer wall but
against the main internal wall; ceilings were decorated
with plaster or paint; walls were covered with gilt leather
or tapestry. A 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 classicism, with 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. 62–71) and Lövsta Bruk (pp. 72–81). The
use of wood as a building material had a major 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 (1660–97), when through
the Reduktionen the Crown recovered its lands. Nobles
now lost half their estates, and not until the 18th century
did they begin to build manors again.
Priests, wealthy farmers and miners lived in rather
similar buildings. Their houses often took the form
known as parstuga, literally a ‘double cabin’ or ‘double
room’: a log house with a central entrance hall and a room
behind that, flanked by two rooms – on one side a room
that could be used for social gatherings, and on the other
side a kitchen. There 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 you would
wash your hands was frozen in the morning). Peasants
lived very simply, mostly in log houses, many without
even a chimney, just a hole in the roof.
Introduction 9
 Torpa, Västergötland

Torpa Castle stands picturesquely reflecting

the waters of Lake Åsunden. It is a large house
of stone, now painted white, which makes it
visible from afar. The main front has irregularly
placed windows of different sizes, and rising
above the roof is a bell-tower, painted in Falu
red, indicating the presence of a chapel inside.
The building is one of the oldest in Sweden,
enlarged and altered over the years. One might
think today that this area, in the middle of the
woods, was always peaceful; but the border
between Sweden and Denmark formerly ran
here, presenting a constant risk of conflict,
and there were frequent peasant revolts.
Nevertheless, the location was considered
attractive because of its nearness to the rivers
Ätran and Viskan, which favoured trade.
12
 Torpa, Västergötland

Torpa Castle stands picturesquely reflecting

the waters of Lake Åsunden. It is a large house
of stone, now painted white, which makes it
visible from afar. The main front has irregularly
placed windows of different sizes, and rising
above the roof is a bell-tower, painted in Falu
red, indicating the presence of a chapel inside.
The building is one of the oldest in Sweden,
enlarged and altered over the years. One might
think today that this area, in the middle of the
woods, was always peaceful; but the border
between Sweden and Denmark formerly ran
here, presenting a constant risk of conflict,
and there were frequent peasant revolts.
Nevertheless, the location was considered
attractive because of its nearness to the rivers
Ätran and Viskan, which favoured trade.
12
 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 – 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 wood. Amid 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 Beata Margareta 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 King’s 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 the Middle 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.
20 Torpa
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 –
believed to be booty brought back from
Germany during the Thirty Years War. 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
 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 – 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 wood. Amid 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 Beata Margareta 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 King’s 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 the Middle 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.
20 Torpa
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 –
believed to be booty brought back from
Germany during the Thirty Years War. 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
 Mårtes, Hälsingland

Mårtes is one of the finest farms in Hälsingland,

in the north of Sweden – way past the point at
which, according to an old saying, oak, crayfish
and nobles should halt. Farmers had long been
the dominant class there, next to pastors and
officers, and in the 18th century the province
flourished on the profits from flax and forests.
In the 19th century the farmers’ position in
society was challenged by other groups, and
the extravagant houses that they built may
have been designed to manifest their power.
114
 Mårtes, Hälsingland

Mårtes is one of the finest farms in Hälsingland,

in the north of Sweden – way past the point at
which, according to an old saying, oak, crayfish
and nobles should halt. Farmers had long been
the dominant class there, next to pastors and
officers, and in the 18th century the province
flourished on the profits from flax and forests.
In the 19th century the farmers’ position in
society was challenged by other groups, and
the extravagant houses that they built may
have been designed to manifest their power.
114
 of logs: fictive stonework was normally a feature of entrance halls. In the The first floor has paintings of 1834,
depicting various subjects from the
largest room on this floor there is a complete series of Dalecarlia paintings, Bible, with identifying texts above them.
with subjects from the Bible. The people depicted are dressed in costumes OPPOSITE The painting on the left shows
that were modern in the 1830s. The scenes include houses several storeys the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon.
high, of a type seen in many Hälsingland paintings. The ‘kurbits’ or trees The bed with its knotted pile cover is
contemporary with the paintings.
in these paintings are of several types, suggesting that at least two painters
ABOVE LEFT King Ahab demands the
worked together – typically a master and an assistant. The word ‘kurbits’ vineyard of Naboth, which was near
was taken to mean ‘tree’ in Hebrew, used in Swedish Bibles for the tree his palace. Two men are shown speaking
outside an enclosed garden with a vine.
that God caused to shoot up from the ground to shade Jonah as he rested.
ABOVE RIGHT A man and a woman carrying
The ‘kurbits’ in the Mårtes paintings lean over the people and give them
a baby walk towards a ‘kurbits’: the subject
shade, suggesting that the artist knew the story. This type of painting is the Flight into Egypt.
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.

124 Mårtes Mårtes 125

 of logs: fictive stonework was normally a feature of entrance halls. In the The first floor has paintings of 1834,
depicting various subjects from the
largest room on this floor there is a complete series of Dalecarlia paintings, Bible, with identifying texts above them.
with subjects from the Bible. The people depicted are dressed in costumes OPPOSITE The painting on the left shows
that were modern in the 1830s. The scenes include houses several storeys the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon.
high, of a type seen in many Hälsingland paintings. The ‘kurbits’ or trees The bed with its knotted pile cover is
contemporary with the paintings.
in these paintings are of several types, suggesting that at least two painters
ABOVE LEFT King Ahab demands the
worked together – typically a master and an assistant. The word ‘kurbits’ vineyard of Naboth, which was near
was taken to mean ‘tree’ in Hebrew, used in Swedish Bibles for the tree his palace. Two men are shown speaking
outside an enclosed garden with a vine.
that God caused to shoot up from the ground to shade Jonah as he rested.
ABOVE RIGHT A man and a woman carrying
The ‘kurbits’ in the Mårtes paintings lean over the people and give them
a baby walk towards a ‘kurbits’: the subject
shade, suggesting that the artist knew the story. This type of painting is the Flight into Egypt.
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.

124 Mårtes Mårtes 125

 Heby, Södermanland

Heby is perched on a hill with a magnificent

view over Lake Klämmingen. In this province
there are some four hundred manors, due to the
relatively short distance from Stockholm and
the rich agricultural land. Many of them were
built in the 18th century, to designs by the very
best architects and with interiors by the best
craftsmen, preferably those who also worked in
Stockholm, for the royal court. From the mid-
century onward the region saw a flowering
of comfortable country houses – not small,
but not huge either, with walls covered with
painted canvas often decorated with flowers
or ornaments in Rococo style, simple wooden
floors, and tiled stoves, themselves with pretty
decoration. There were always two wings,
and they form an important part of the
composition. The manors were almost always
approached down tree-lined avenues, often
very long. It was not unusual for an aristocrat
to own several manors, each of them with a
farm, land, and frequently a large forest as well.
126
 Heby, Södermanland

Heby is perched on a hill with a magnificent

view over Lake Klämmingen. In this province
there are some four hundred manors, due to the
relatively short distance from Stockholm and
the rich agricultural land. Many of them were
built in the 18th century, to designs by the very
best architects and with interiors by the best
craftsmen, preferably those who also worked in
Stockholm, for the royal court. From the mid-
century onward the region saw a flowering
of comfortable country houses – not small,
but not huge either, with walls covered with
painted canvas often decorated with flowers
or ornaments in Rococo style, simple wooden
floors, and tiled stoves, themselves with pretty
decoration. There were always two wings,
and they form an important part of the
composition. The manors were almost always
approached down tree-lined avenues, often
very long. It was not unusual for an aristocrat
to own several manors, each of them with a
farm, land, and frequently a large forest as well.
126
 Stjernsund, Närke

Stjernsund is situated on the headland joining

two lakes, Stora Vättern and Alsen, in the
southernmost part of the province of Närke.
This is a landscape of deep forests, where the
presence of iron led to the establishment of
ironworks and estates. Earl Johan Gabriel
Oxenstierna bought an estate here in 1637,
named it after himself, and immediately built
a house. New owners came and went; when the
house was sold in 1785 it was dilapidated and
old-fashioned, so it was torn down and a new
building erected. That building was intended
to reflect the status of Olof Burenstam, owner
of the Skyllbergs and Sonstorps ironworks,
and it was to be absolutely up-to-date. But
was it beautiful?
174
 Stjernsund, Närke

Stjernsund is situated on the headland joining

two lakes, Stora Vättern and Alsen, in the
southernmost part of the province of Närke.
This is a landscape of deep forests, where the
presence of iron led to the establishment of
ironworks and estates. Earl Johan Gabriel
Oxenstierna bought an estate here in 1637,
named it after himself, and immediately built
a house. New owners came and went; when the
house was sold in 1785 it was dilapidated and
old-fashioned, so it was torn down and a new
building erected. That building was intended
to reflect the status of Olof Burenstam, owner
of the Skyllbergs and Sonstorps ironworks,
and it was to be absolutely up-to-date. But
was it beautiful?
174
 officially the owner in 1851. He began renovation work, which resulted
in some of the finest mid-19th-century interiors in Sweden. The style is a
mixture of late Neoclassicism, Neo-Rococo and Neo-Gothic styles. Most
of the furniture in what is now the dining room was delivered by the
Stockholm cabinetmaker Johan Wahlgren in 1852. Tragically the Prince
died in that year, when he was only twenty-five, and he never saw the
finished interior. A few years later his younger brother, Prince August, bought
the house and continued the renovation. Stjernsund was never a royal palace:
it was the private property of members of the royal family until 1860, when
it was acquired by the ironworks manager Knut Cassel. His 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 Frommel’s Pittoreskes
Italien (1840) – Lake Nemi, Terni, the Cascata della Marmora in Umbria,
the Valley 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 room was 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.
180 Stjernsund
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 floor. Most of the
furniture was delivered in 1852, when the
house belonged to the descendants of
Karl XIV Johan.
The large drawing room is flanked by two smaller rooms with painted The walls of the large drawing room have
paintings by the German artist Fritz
decoration by Hagedorn: the library and the small sitting room. In Hagedorn – here the Cascata della Marmora
the library, the walls are transformed into an illusionistic Neo-Gothic and Lake Nemi. On the left are a very
precious Gustavian bureau and armchairs.
pergola. In the small sitting room, Neo-Renaissance in style, paintings
The sofa and chairs on the right are of the
in light blue, creamy yellow and gold make the room appear to have a 1850s; with their green silk upholstery they
padded ceiling and walls; the ensemble is very well preserved and the look very pretty against the pink carpet.
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 Hälsingland; perhaps if they were by a less
skilful hand than Hagedorn’s 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 France. Most of the
patterns imitate textiles, such as velvet, moiré and chintz. One technique
used was flocking: the pattern is printed in adhesive, and while it is still
Stjernsund 181
 officially the owner in 1851. He began renovation work, which resulted
in some of the finest mid-19th-century interiors in Sweden. The style is a
mixture of late Neoclassicism, Neo-Rococo and Neo-Gothic styles. Most
of the furniture in what is now the dining room was delivered by the
Stockholm cabinetmaker Johan Wahlgren in 1852. Tragically the Prince
died in that year, when he was only twenty-five, and he never saw the
finished interior. A few years later his younger brother, Prince August, bought
the house and continued the renovation. Stjernsund was never a royal palace:
it was the private property of members of the royal family until 1860, when
it was acquired by the ironworks manager Knut Cassel. His 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 Frommel’s Pittoreskes
Italien (1840) – Lake Nemi, Terni, the Cascata della Marmora in Umbria,
the Valley 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 room was 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.
180 Stjernsund
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 floor. Most of the
furniture was delivered in 1852, when the
house belonged to the descendants of
Karl XIV Johan.
The large drawing room is flanked by two smaller rooms with painted The walls of the large drawing room have
paintings by the German artist Fritz
decoration by Hagedorn: the library and the small sitting room. In Hagedorn – here the Cascata della Marmora
the library, the walls are transformed into an illusionistic Neo-Gothic and Lake Nemi. On the left are a very
precious Gustavian bureau and armchairs.
pergola. In the small sitting room, Neo-Renaissance in style, paintings
The sofa and chairs on the right are of the
in light blue, creamy yellow and gold make the room appear to have a 1850s; with their green silk upholstery they
padded ceiling and walls; the ensemble is very well preserved and the look very pretty against the pink carpet.
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 Hälsingland; perhaps if they were by a less
skilful hand than Hagedorn’s 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 France. Most of the
patterns imitate textiles, such as velvet, moiré and chintz. One technique
used was flocking: the pattern is printed in adhesive, and while it is still
Stjernsund 181
 wet, chopped wool or silk is sprinkled on it. The most expensive papers OPPOSITE In the library the walls were
painted by Hagedorn in 1848. The room
were hung in the rooms on the upper floor used by the Prince himself, has a nice mixture of furniture in different
where they were given a gold frame. Finest of all is one with a magnificent styles, assembled during Knut Cassel’s
ownership, after 1860. The large chandelier
acanthus pattern in flock on a gold background. In a simpler room there
is one of several at Stjernsund designed
is a less expensive but equally beautiful red flock paper embellished with a for electric light, a novelty in the late
wallpaper border. A wallpaper in the finest guest room, close to the Prince’s 19th century.

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 Zuber’s firm. On this
floor a long corridor runs the length of the building. At the end is a desk
where the guest could sit and write letters, looking out over the lake.
ABOVE LEFT The small sitting room displays
a characteristically eclectic mixture of styles.
The tiled stove is Neoclassical; the painted
walls use Renaissance motifs (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 Prince’s

There is no evidence that the wings farther from the house were Wing has wallpaper imitating moiré
silk, hung in 1849. A lace canopy shelters
designed by Sundvall, and their interiors were decorated during the royal the contemporary bed, bought in 1852
period. That to the north-east is called the Prince’s Wing, as it was prepared in Stockholm.
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 moiré silk: first a pattern was impressed
on the paper to suggest the grain of moiré silk, and then the paper was
printed with colour and gold.

182 Stjernsund Stjernsund 183

 wet, chopped wool or silk is sprinkled on it. The most expensive papers OPPOSITE In the library the walls were
painted by Hagedorn in 1848. The room
were hung in the rooms on the upper floor used by the Prince himself, has a nice mixture of furniture in different
where they were given a gold frame. Finest of all is one with a magnificent styles, assembled during Knut Cassel’s
ownership, after 1860. The large chandelier
acanthus pattern in flock on a gold background. In a simpler room there
is one of several at Stjernsund designed
is a less expensive but equally beautiful red flock paper embellished with a for electric light, a novelty in the late
wallpaper border. A wallpaper in the finest guest room, close to the Prince’s 19th century.

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 Zuber’s firm. On this
floor a long corridor runs the length of the building. At the end is a desk
where the guest could sit and write letters, looking out over the lake.
ABOVE LEFT The small sitting room displays
a characteristically eclectic mixture of styles.
The tiled stove is Neoclassical; the painted
walls use Renaissance motifs (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 Prince’s

There is no evidence that the wings farther from the house were Wing has wallpaper imitating moiré
silk, hung in 1849. A lace canopy shelters
designed by Sundvall, and their interiors were decorated during the royal the contemporary bed, bought in 1852
period. That to the north-east is called the Prince’s Wing, as it was prepared in Stockholm.
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 moiré silk: first a pattern was impressed
on the paper to suggest the grain of moiré silk, and then the paper was
printed with colour and gold.

182 Stjernsund Stjernsund 183