Carl Larsson at Konstakademien

Impressive entrance to the museum

I have blogged earlier regarding the National Museum closing for four years for renovations, as of February of this year. In that article, I mentioned the fact that they would be having temporary exhibits at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (Konstakademien) during the interim period. Well, the first exhibit has just opened for the public! First out is the Swedish artist Carl Larsson, and I stopped by to check out the premiere.

The exhibit, entitled "Friends & Enemies", runs all summer and into the fall... until November 3rd. Carl Larsson is arguably one of Sweden's most famous and beloved artists/painters. His prints and posters decorate many Swedish homes and his artwork often depicts idyllic, bucolic scenes of family life that many Swedes consider to be their version of utopia.

This exhibit, however, isn't only filled with Larsson's artwork. It is more dedicated to his world and the famous people he interacted with day to day. In the exhibit you will find artwork by, and depicting, his friends (like Anders Zorn) and his enemies (most notably August Strindberg and King Gustav V). In fact, it seems like Larsson had quite a few art feuds... strange for an artist whose works convey so much innocence and happiness. If it is just Carl Larsson's art you are interested in, then many of his most famous works of art are hanging in art galleries like Thielska and Waldemarsudde. Stop by this exhibition instead to get a feel of what the prolific art scene was like in Stockholm in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Konstakademien is very centrally located and easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... either a 25 minute walk through Gamla Stan or by subway (nearest stops are Kungsträdgården on the blue line or T-Centralen with all lines).