Carl Larsson

Artist Biography

The Swedish artist Carl Larsson was born in Stockholm, on May 28, 1853. His parents were extremely poor and his childhood sad and miserable. However, at the age of thirteen his teacher at the school for poor children urged him to seek entry into the principskola of the Stockholm Academy of Fine Arts where he was accepted. During his first years at the principskola he felt socially inferior, confused and shy. However, in 1869, sixteen years old, he was promoted to the antique school of the same academy. There Carl Larsson became increasingly sure of himself and gained the confidence evident through his art, prints and posters.

After several years as an illustrator of books, magazines and newspapers Carl Larsson spent several rather frustrating years in Paris as a hardworking artist without any success. The turning point in Larssonīs life came in 1882 when in Karin Bergoo, who would later become his wife. One could almost call it a metamorphosis in Larssonīs life. He painted some of his most important art, prints and posters - now in water-colors and very different from the more pretentious oil-painting technique. Carl and Karin reared eight children, who became Carl Larssonīs favorite models.

Carl Larsson considered frescos in schools, museums and other public buildings, to be his most important pieces of art, prints and posters. His last monumental work 'Midvinterblot' (Midwinter Sacrifice) signed in 1915 and intended for the last wall in the staircase of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm - which had not yet been decorated by Carl Larsson - was refused by the board of the Nationalmuseum. In his memoirs, he declared his bitterness and disappointment with this rebuff against the painting he himself considered to crown his work as an artist. "This I admit with a dark anger. And still, it was probably the best thing that could happen, for now my intuition tells me -again- that for all its weakness, this painting will be honored with a far better place after my death."

Carl Larsson Art, Prints and Posters Collection