Treasures from the Nationalmuseum of Sweden: The Collections of Count Tessin
The Nationalmuseum, Sweden鈥檚 largest and most distinguished art institution, is partnering with the Morgan to bring more than seventy-five masterpieces from its collections to New York for a rare visit. The show includes work by artists such as Albrecht D眉rer, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt van Rijn, Antoine Watteau, and Fran莽ois Boucher.
The core holdings of the Nationalmuseum were assembled by Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (1696鈥1770), a diplomat and one of the great art collectors of his day. On assignment in Paris from 1739, Tessin came into contact with the leading artists of the time and commissioned many works from them. He was also among the most active buyers at major sales of old master paintings and drawings. By the time he left Paris in 1742, he had amassed a truly impressive collection.
Among the fourteen paintings in the exhibition are three commissioned by Tessin and exhibited at the 1740 Parisian Salon: Boucher鈥檚 Triumph of Venus, Jean-Baptiste Oudry鈥檚 Dachshound Pehr with Dead Game and Rifle, and a Portrait of Count Tessin by Jacques-Andr茅-Joseph Aved, in which the collector is shown among his art, books, and medals. The group of paintings will also feature six works by Jean-Sim茅on Chardin.
The drawings include works by Italian masters such as Domenico Ghirlandaio, Raphael, Giulio Romano, and Annibale Carracci. Northern European artists are represented by D眉rer, Hendrik Goltzius, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Anthony van Dyck, among others. The French drawings begin with Francesco Primaticcio and practitioners of the Fountainebleau school and include works by Jacques Callot and Nicholas Poussin, as well as Count Tessin鈥檚 French contemporaries, Boucher, Chardin, and Watteau.
Recommended for you
The Nationalmuseum, Sweden鈥檚 largest and most distinguished art institution, is partnering with the Morgan to bring more than seventy-five masterpieces from its collections to New York for a rare visit. The show includes work by artists such as Albrecht D眉rer, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt van Rijn, Antoine Watteau, and Fran莽ois Boucher.
The core holdings of the Nationalmuseum were assembled by Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (1696鈥1770), a diplomat and one of the great art collectors of his day. On assignment in Paris from 1739, Tessin came into contact with the leading artists of the time and commissioned many works from them. He was also among the most active buyers at major sales of old master paintings and drawings. By the time he left Paris in 1742, he had amassed a truly impressive collection.
Among the fourteen paintings in the exhibition are three commissioned by Tessin and exhibited at the 1740 Parisian Salon: Boucher鈥檚 Triumph of Venus, Jean-Baptiste Oudry鈥檚 Dachshound Pehr with Dead Game and Rifle, and a Portrait of Count Tessin by Jacques-Andr茅-Joseph Aved, in which the collector is shown among his art, books, and medals. The group of paintings will also feature six works by Jean-Sim茅on Chardin.
The drawings include works by Italian masters such as Domenico Ghirlandaio, Raphael, Giulio Romano, and Annibale Carracci. Northern European artists are represented by D眉rer, Hendrik Goltzius, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Anthony van Dyck, among others. The French drawings begin with Francesco Primaticcio and practitioners of the Fountainebleau school and include works by Jacques Callot and Nicholas Poussin, as well as Count Tessin鈥檚 French contemporaries, Boucher, Chardin, and Watteau.
Artists on show
- Albrecht Dürer
- Annibale Carracci
- Anthony van Dyck
- Domenico Ghirlandaio
- Francesco Primaticcio
- François Boucher
- Giulio Romano
- Hendrick Goltzius
- Jacques Callot
- Jacques-Andre-Joseph Camelot Aved
- Jean Siméon Chardin
- Jean-Antoine Watteau
- Jean-Baptiste Oudry
- Nicolas Poussin
- Peter Paul Rubens
- Raffaello Sanzio
- Rembrandt van Rijn
Related articles
Michelangelo鈥檚 drawings and Hokusai鈥檚 prints, a major Hockney retrospective, the largest art museum to open in Africa for 100 years and a new Christie鈥檚 space in Los Angeles 鈥 just a few of the things Christie鈥檚 specialists are looking forward to
In 2013 the comedian Petra Mede 鈥 the Swedish equivalent of Tracey Ullman 鈥 performed a masterpiece of national self-deprecation for the 170-million-strong audience of the Eurovision Song Contest.