Prince Eugen - The Painting Prince (1865-1947)


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GrandDuchess

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Prince Eugen (1865-1947)

Prince Eugen – The Painting Prince.

Eugen Napoleon Nicolaus Bernadotte, Prince of Sweden, Duke of Närke, was born on 1 August 1865 as the fourth and youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Östergötland, later King Oscar II and Queen Sophia.

Already at an early age, the young Prince showed his artistic talents and was taught drawing and painting by different artists.

During the years 1885-86, the Prince studied at Uppsala University and was at the same time a student for painter Wilhelm von Gegerfelt. It was during this time he decided that he wanted to become an artist. His parents, the Duke and Duchess of Östergötland, was not very pleased with the news at first – to have painting as a hobby was one thing, but to have it as ones main direction in life for a Prince was a totally different thing. But after receiving such excellent words of recommendations from the big artists of that time, his parents agreed – and the Prince went to Paris to study between 1887 and 1889.

In 1889, the Prince was selected as the first Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm, and the next year he was given the academy’s spot in the State’s purchasing committee for art.

Even if Prince Eugen has been allowed to educate himself to an artist, he could not escape the royal duties that followed with being a member of the Royal Family. He undertook official engagements in both Sweden and Norway, who was in a union with Sweden until 1905.

During the 1890’s, Prince Eugen could mainly devote time to his own painting during the summers. It was also during this decennium that he had his artistic break-through and when his lyrical and romantic painting came to play a vital role for the development of the Swedish landscape painting.

Prince Eugen had many exhibitions with his paintings – the largest one on Lijlevalchs Museum in 1925 - and his work was also featured on exhibitions abroad, like in Oslo and Helsinki.

As a part of his commitment to cultural politics, the Prince contributed with many monumental works of art for public spaces. They are located in schools, hospitals and churches in Sweden – the largest one of them is his wall mural in the City Hall in Stockholm, which took 6 years to finish.

Among his most publicly visible works are the 40 metres long murals on the walls in the Prince’s Gallery in the City Hall, the wall painting at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, and the altar painting in the Kiruna church.

To honour the occasion of Prince Eugen’s 80th birthday in 1945 – King Gustav V instituted The Prince Eugen Medal, to be awarded for great artistic achievement, and still a medal awarded today by King Carl XVI Gustaf.

On 17 August 1947, Prince Eugen, the Painting Prince – passed away. He willed Waldemarsudde and his large collection of art to the State, with the condition of them making it a museum and opening it to the general public. At his death, the collection was one of the largest private collections in Sweden – consisting of about 2 500 works of art by 444 different artists. The collection, mainly consisting of Swedish art, consists of paintings (the main part), sculptures, drawings, graphics and medal art. Prince Eugen was a collector for 60 years of his life; the first purchases were made in 1887, the last ones in 1947, the year of his death. In the collection you can find some of Sweden’s greatest artists ever – but also many great foreign artists.

Prince Eugen was one of his times greatest cultural personalities, and always a supporter of the culture. Some of his best friends were his fellow artists of that time: Carl Larsson, Richard Bergh, Anders Zorn, Albert Edelfelt and Peder Kröyer.
 

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Two glimpses from Eugen...

The Waldemarsudde flower pot:
blom_k_046.low.jpg

Like many other artists during his time, Prince Eugen was not only a painter – but also a designer. His most famous work in this division is the porcelain flower pot named “Waldemarsudde” after his home. This flower pot has been hughely popular ever since its creation, and is still today sold in his home and by mail order abroad.

Prince Eugen's Christmas
Prince Eugen celebrated Christmas with the Royal Family at Drottningholm Palace. Before the actual Christmas came, there had been a season of festivities on Waldemarsudde. On Christmas morning, the Prince received each of his employees in the library where they received one months of extra pay, and a few words with wishes for a happy Christmas. During the Christmas holiday, all food served at the mansion was enjoyed accompanied by champagne and sherry.
 
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Waldemarsudde - Prince Eugen's Home

In 1899, after Prince Eugen had been living at Arvfursten Palace for 10 years, the State wished to overtake the palace and place its foreign administration there. Prince Eugen began to look around for another place to live, and after some time – his choice fell on Waldemarsudde, a beautiful cape situated in the most wonderful nature surroundings and waters, close to Rosendal Palace where his family spent their summers. On the land there was already a house that he could use as a studio, and another house, the Old House, that he could live in during the summers while the plans for his new permanent home was being developed and realised. On 18 October 1899, the contract for the purchase of the land was signed – giving Prince Eugen access to it from 2 January 1900.

Together with Ferdinand Boberg (one of Sweden’s greatest and most productive architects during the turn of the century 18-1900), the Prince began sketching for a permanent home for himself – and in March 1903 the construction began. The mansion was finished in the autumn of 1905, and Prince Eugen held a grand moving-in party where he served consommé, lobster à l’indienne, brisket of beef, salad, pouding à la diplomate and cheese and dessert.

The Prince’s apartment for socialising is left the way it was when he passed away. The private rooms in the middle floor are, according to his wishes, re-made as exhibition rooms. These were bed- work- and guestrooms were situated in his time. In the top floor, the Prince has his studio – today used as exhibition rooms for visiting exhibitions or works of arts from his donated art collection.

When Prince Eugen moved to Waldemarsudde in the fall of 1905, he intensified his collecting of art. It soon became obvious that the space in the mansion was not enough, and the Prince decided to build a separate gallery.

Again the Prince worked with Ferdinand Boberg in designing the Gallery – and took great interest in modern solutions and working with the lightning. The Gallery was finished in 1913, and he came to use it for displaying his own paintings as well as things from his art collection.

During his days, Waldemarsudde was called “Sweden’s most beautiful home” – and in an interview before his 80th birthday in 1945, Prince Eugen concluded the following about his home:
“A better place for a painter cannot be imagined”.

The house is surrounded by a flower and sculpture garden (with sculptures from all the big names in Sweden), and both the house and Gallery are furnished as the Prince left them. At his death in 1947, Prince Eugen willed Waldemarsudde and his large collection of art to the State, with the condition of them making it a museum and opening it to the general public.

Today Waldemarsudde is one of Sweden’s most popular museums. The website for the museum can be found here, and if you click here you can see pictures of his paintings.
 

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merci

thank you very much for suc information!!
What about the 5 children of princess Margaret of Sweden ( among then Queen Ingrid of Denmark??)
Thank you very much
 
GrandDuchess said:
Prince Eugen – The Painting Prince.



Among his most publicly visible works are the 40 metres long murals on the walls in the Prince’s Gallery in the City Hall, the wall painting at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, and the altar painting in the Kiruna church.

Can you please tell me if he is painting one of the paintings mentioned above in this old postcard?
http://photobucket.com/albums/y138/loejil/Swedish%20%20Royals/?action=view&current=PrinceEugen.jpg
 
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I read and looked at all of the pictures of Prince Eugen, the painting prince and It's interesting to read about him.

And, I wanted to know if he married with children. There is no mention of that. The pictures are great and thank you for posting them! :flowers:
 
Eugene never got married, and he didn't have any children either.
 
Thank you very much for telling me, Furienna. :flowers:
 
Very interesting that he made a career out of painting (like Prince Charles of Belgium did)
 
He wanted to paint from a young age. His parents tried to give him a military career, but he wasn't interested in that. So he became "the painter prince".
 
in my opinion i think he did nt marry because perhaps there were nt any princess that was willing to spend her life with some painting obsess prince or could it be he didnt admired the marriages of his bernadotte relative and royal cousin to which marriages had ended with both party find others than there were expected or he maybe had love a woman who dint have royal status but decline to become a count of bernadotte[i must say sweden were strict towards royal marriages as with the russian romanovs]
 
Five princes lost their royal status, because they married non-royal women. So yes, the rules were strict.
 
I would say that prince Eugen was very much a non-conformist, he followed his own conscience and not what people thought he should do. Here's an article in Swedish about prince Eugen: Prins Eugen följde sitt samvete | Under strecket | SvD He was much more than the "Painter prince", he was a true humanitarian and true to his own conscience.
 
Was he more than "the painter prince"? Yes, I guess he was, but some people go down in history with a special moniker.
 
I like that Prince Eugene devoted himself to painting landscapes.
Geographically, his main areas of interest were the countryside around Stockholm and Vastergotland and Skane.

Waldemarsudde
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KFTEHHGvvU
 
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Here's an article in Swedish about prince Eugen (and a little bit about his uncle prince August): Släktingarnas vitt skilda begåvning | Dokument | Expressen

In my opinion prince Eugen is perhaps the most fascinating persons in the Bernadotte family, intelligent, artistic and expressing his own opinions, even when they weren't popular, but still showing support to his brother the king (Gustav V), even when Eugen didn't support the political views expressed in the king's speech.
 
That was indeeed an interesting article about Prince Eugen. But now I am also intrigued by August and Therese, who nobody seems to talk about at all. It sounds like the rest of the royal family wanted to treat them as if they were insignificant.
 
But now I am also intrigued by August and Therese, who nobody seems to talk about at all. It sounds like the rest of the royal family wanted to treat them as if they were insignificant.
I don't think the royal family saw them as insignificant, but that they "disappeared" among siblings that were more talented (Gustaf being a composer, Eugenie painted and made sculptures), and two brothers who became kings, it was difficult for August and Teresia to be seen and shine. Add to that the fact that both of them were more or less what can be described as "originals", Teresia more than August. When Teresia became a widow in 1873 she received a guardian, even if according to the law in Sweden at the time a widow (and a unmarried woman since 1863) was considered as being a major.
 
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Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke never married,maybe he was more interested in painting!
 
Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke never married,maybe he was more interested in painting!
If you can read the article, that Meraude linked to a few days ago, you will see that there have been different theories about why Prince Eugen never got married. Maybe he was "married" to his art. Maybe he just never found a princess, whom he could fall in love with (and after his brother Oscar had married a non-royal woman, Eugen and his brother Carl had to promise their father to not repeat that faux pas). Maybe he was homosexual? But it doesn't seem like there is a good answer to that question.
 
In the article in Expressen it's mentioned that prince Eugen became friends with countess Ebba (Wallenberg) Bonde when he was in his 60ies and she was 30 years younger than him. Ebba was born Wallenberg, a prominent Swedish family and financial dynasty, and married into the noble Bonde family. They travelled together, played golf and tennis, went out dancing and so on. She was one of Sweden's first celebrities, unconventional and a bit wild. If they were just friends or had a relationship is not known.
 
Photos from prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, from the Instagram of Håkan Groth, a photographer and antique dealer and expert.
The coat of arms of Prince Eugen of Sweden as Duke of Närke on a tiled stove in the salon of his house Waldemarsudde in Stockholm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEVDt2lrnc/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A fire screen painted with Hydrangeas by Prince Eugen of Sweden in the salon at Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEVT4GFrn9/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A terracotta bust by Giuseppe Ceracchi of Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and Norway (né Jean-Baptist Bernadotte) in the salon at Waldemarsudde. He was the great grandfather of Prince Eugen
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEVtUSFroi/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A corner of the salon in Prince Eugen of Sweden's house Waldemarsudde in Stockholm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGETGFTFrkB/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A portrait of Prince Eugen's mother Queen Sofia of Sweden (née princess of Nassau) painted in 1909 by Anders Zorn.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEUxpsFrmx/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A bust of Prince Eugen of Sweden (1865-1947) flanked by a fine pair of French Empire vases in the entrance hall of the prince's wonderful house Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEKlYElrl-/?taken-by=hakan_groth
Per Hasselberg (1850-94), bronze bust of Prince Eugen of Sweden and Norway (1865-1947), sculpted in 1889. The prince acquired several works by the artist that are on display in his house Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGB0g1cFrlz/?taken-by=hakan_groth
An Empire hanging lamp in the entrance hall at Waldemarsudde in Stockholm. The house that is now a museum was built in 1903-05 by the architect Ferdinand Boberg for Prince Eugen of Sweden (1865-1947). The prince was closely involved in the work and he filled the house with inherited antiques as well as contemporary art.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGC2Et9lrhq/?taken-by=hakan_groth
 
More photos from prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, from the Instagram of Håkan Groth, a photographer and antique dealer and expert.
The Russian chandelier in the salon at Prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde in Stockholm was bought by Prince Carl (later Carl XIII of Sweden) in Prag 1798. It was inherited by Eugen, together with many other things, from Rosersberg Palace after his father Oscar II's death in 1907.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGE1EtWlrtD/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The round table in the salon at Waldemarsudde was commissioned by Prince Eugen from Carl Malmsten to work with the set of chairs he had inherited from Rosersberg Palace.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGE1egcFrt-/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The painting by Ernst Josephson (1851-1906) called 'Strömkarlen' (The Nix or the Water Spirit) from 1884 was bought by Prince Eugen who offered it in 1893 to the National Museum in Stockholm. They refused it which angered the prince and he had it mounted into the panelling in the salon and stipulated that it must never leave the house!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGE4QNaFrk9/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A study to Oscar Björck's monumental portrait of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway (1829-1907) in coronation robes hangs in the salon of his son Prince Eugen's house.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGE426qlrmz/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The Flower Room at Prince Eugen's house Waldemarsudde
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFJxETFrhi/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The Flower Room at Prince Eugen's house Waldemarsudde in Stockholm. The three painting are by the prince. The celebrated ébénist George Haupt made the Louis XVI console table c. 1780.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFKBKrlrh8/?taken-by=hakan_groth
Prince Eugen's library at Waldemarsudde
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFKk8CFrje/?taken-by=hakan_groth
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFKxR6FrkB/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A bronze bust on the mantle piece in the library by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) of the author Victor Hugo sculpted in 1897. The prince owned several works by Rodin.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFOLn-Frs3/?taken-by=hakan_groth
 
More photos from prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, from the Instagram of Håkan Groth, a photographer and antique dealer and expert.
The Dining Room at Waldemarsudde with Prince Eugen's painting 'The Cloud', 1896.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGGZFjhlrnp/?taken-by=hakan_groth
Molnet (the Cloud) is perhaps the best known painting by Prince Eugen of Sweden. He painted the first version in 1895 which he gave to his friend and art collector Pontus Fürstenberg in Gothenburg. This the second version painted the following year now hangs in the dining room of his house Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGGYssyFrnG/?taken-by=hakan_groth
Another of Prince Eugen's well known paintings 'Det Gamla Slottet' (the Old Country House) also hangs in the Dining Room at Waldemarsudde. He discovered the old derelict Sunbyholm Manor (nowadays restored) in 1893 and painted it that summer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGGZ8UaFrpA/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The Dining Room at Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFPTYfFrvu/?taken-by=hakan_groth
The Swedish Empire chandelier, originally made for the Stockholm Royal Palace, has more than 5,000 cut crystal drops. Prince Eugen inherited it after his father Oscar II's death.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFP5fZFrhH/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A French Louis XVI console table (one of a pair) bought in Paris by Prince Carl c 1770 for his country seat Rosersberg. The French Empire clock with the figure of Mercury would also have come from the Swedish Royal Collection.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFQ8qbFrjw/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A unique Gustavian screen with a painting by Elias Martin (1739-1818) of the Crown Prince Gustaf (IV) Adolph making an offering to the Goddess Hygieia for the health of his father Gustaf III. The screen originally came from Bogesund Castle and was bought by Prince Eugen around 1920.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGG1Uxxlrhg/?taken-by=hakan_groth
One of a pair of Russian Empire porphyry urns with ormolu mounts made c 1810-1820 in the Dining Room at Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGGzy-pFrur/?taken-by=hakan_groth
A Sèvres biscuit porcelain group of Pygmalion and Galatea made in 1908 (after Falconet's model from 1763) and given to Prince Eugen by French President Raymond Poincaré (1913-1920).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGG2dx7FrjH/?taken-by=hakan_groth
French Louis XVI clock in the Dining Room at Waldemarsudde shaped like an obelisk
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGHH2LxFrlr/?taken-by=hakan_groth
 
More photos from prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, from the Instagram of Håkan Groth, a photographer and antique dealer and expert.
Waldemarsudde in Stockholm, now a museum, was built in 1903-1905 by the great architect Ferdinand Boberg (1860-1946) for Prince Eugen. The prince, who was a painter and great patron of the arts, was involved in the creation of the house and it's interiors. His studio was behind the large window at the top.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWjY1Hlrhc/?taken-by=hakan_groth
Waldemarsudde in Stockholm was built in 1903-1905 as a home for the unmarried artist Prince Eugen of Sweden (1865-1947). He also added a gallery for his collection of contemporary art. He left the house and the collections to the State and it is open as a museum.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWkVbQFrjS/?tagged=hakangroth
Waldemarsudde, built by Ferdinand Boberg 1903-1905 for Prince Eugen, has the most beautiful location with terraces leading down to the water in Stockholm. The bronze sculpture is a copy of the winged Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWkzbdFrkW/?tagged=hakangroth
A bronze copy of the famous marble sculpture Nike (Victory) of Samothrace in the Louvre at Waldemarsudde in Stockholm. Prince Eugen bought it in 1905 and placed it facing south outside his house. The original dates to around 200-190 BC and was found in Cyprus in 1863.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWywWoFrh-/?tagged=hakangroth
A painting by Prince Eugen dated 1932 of his bronze sculpture Nike of Samothrace in snow outside his house Waldemarsudde
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWzRzrlrjN/?tagged=hakangroth
A view from the terrace of Waldemarsudde with the Thinker by Auguste Rodin in the centre. Prince Eugen bought it in 1900
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGWzyzEFrkT/?tagged=hakangroth
A view of the garden at Prince Eugen's house Waldemarsudde with the mill in the background built in 1785.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGXFaWVlrvQ/?tagged=hakangroth
A view of the garden at Prince Eugen's house Waldemarsudde with the art gallery wing to the left.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGXFtKtFrvw/?tagged=hakangroth
The Archer by Carl Milles (1875-1955) in the Garden at Pronce Eugen's house Waldemarsudde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGXGlX_Frhp/?tagged=hakangroth
Hercules the Archer (Héraclès) sculpted by Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) in 1909 for the financier and philanthropist Gabriel Thomas. This example, the first copy, was purchased in 1920 from the artist by Prince Eugen for the garden at his house Waldemarsudde in Stockholm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGXpDiNFri9/?tagged=hakangroth
The Old House at Waldemarsudde was rebuilt in the 1780's when it received it's present colour and appearance. This is where Prince Eugen lived after he had purchased the property in 1899 and before his new house was ready to move into in 1905.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGYSHqBFrkz/?tagged=hakangroth
 
Article of Prince Eugen at this week's Svensk Damtidning.
Today, 70 years after his death, Prince Eugen is seen as one of the great artists at his time. What a relief he had had if he had known that? Eugen struggled to be taken seriously despite his wealth and ancestry. That is why he sometimes called himself Monsieur Oscarsson and when he in 1889 took part at Paris World Fair, he signed his paintings "Eugéne".
The article tells that prince Eugen had promised to his father that he would not marry a non royal. It is told that prince Eugen became a new man when he at his sixties met countess Ebba Bonde, who was half of his age. The gossip pages told about their socializing, but she was married and Eugen got never married. If he ever had a romance, we will never know that. The prince kept his private life discreet which of course didn't prevent the various speculations.
At Waldemarsudde he took good care of his staff, but they had to call him Your Highness. The closest friends called him Prinsen (The Prince) and his first name was used only by his family members.
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I guess that he used pseudonyms on his paintings sometimes, so that people wouldn't suck up to him because he was a prince. He wanted his work to be judged by it own merit.
 
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