HISTORY
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts originated in the Royal Academy of Drawing (Ritaracademien), founded at the Royal Palace in 1735.
Sweden’s first school of drawing
During the construction of the Royal Palace in Stockholm in 1697–1754, there was a shortage of qualified artists and architects. Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (1695–1770) was appointed director of the palace construction in 1728. To raise the professional standard of Swedish artists, he founded Sweden’s first drawing school, the Royal Academy of Drawing. The French artist Guillaume Thomas Taraval (1701–1750), who worked in that capacity on the construction of the palace, was in charge of the teaching activities. By the end of the 1730s, there was a team of newly-trained artists who could be used when decorating the palace.
The Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpting
There had been discussions for some time on how the drawing school could be turned into a traditional European art academy, focused on depiction, classical sculpture, nude models and anatomy. An academy of international repute had two main purposes: to train new artists, and to be an organisation for established artists.
In 1766, the Academy’s future was secured, when parliament allocated funding for professors and models, enabling further development.
On 30 May 1768, the first constituting meeting was held and the Academy’s structure formally established. The name was upgraded to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpting, and its statutes and regulations were laid down.
The meeting was chaired by the head of the palace construction, the architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz (1716–1796). Pierre Hubert L'Archevêque (1721–1778) was appointed director of the Academy, and Per Floding (1731–1791) its secretary.
In 1773, Gustav III approved the first statutes. That year, the artist Ulrica Fredrika Pasch (1735–1796) became the first woman Academy member.
Fredsgatan 12
In 1780, the Academy moved to Sparre Palace on Fredsgatan in Stockholm, thanks to a donation from the church bell foundry owner Gerhard Meyer (1704–1784). The building was known as Mejan (Meyer’s house), a name that later accompanied the Royal Institute of Art to Skeppsholmen. The building has been extended twice – in 1845 according to drawings by the architect Fredrik Blom (1781–1853), and in 1891–1897 according to drawings by the architect Erik Lallerstedt (1864–1955).
The first art exhibition
The first exhibition of works by students was held in 1784. This was also the first art exhibition ever in Sweden.
The Royal Museum
The Royal Museum was founded in 1792. For many years, the Academy controlled its funding and organisation, and, from 1856, its acquisitions of art. It opened in 1794 in the Logården wing of the Royal Palace in Stockholm (now Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities). This was one of the first public art museums in Europe. When Nationalmuseum was finished on Blasieholmen in 1866, the collection was moved there, and the Academy gradually played a smaller part.
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts / The Academy
In 1810, the name was changed to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. It had long been referred to as Konstakademien, and this name was incorporated into the logotype in the 2000s.
Mekaniska skolan
In 1799, the Academy opened its “School of Mechanics”, a kind of engineering school for future architects, but also including agricultural machinery. After 14 years, it was transferred to the recently-formed Academy of Agriculture, and eventually to the Institute of Technology.
The Ladies’ Department
In 1864, the Academy began to offer women full training as artists. It was called Fruntimmersavdelningen – the Ladies’ Department. The Royal Swedish Academy was the first in Europe to accept women art students.
The Royal Institute of Art
The Academy’s school, Akademiens Läroverk, was renamed in 1908 to Kungl. Konstögskolan, the Royal Institute of Art. The Academy remained its principal until 1978, when the university reform transferred control of the Royal Institute of Art to the government. ´However, the Royal Institute’s offices, student studios, vice-chancellor’s office and live drawing classes did not move from Fredsgatan 1995 to the new premises on Skeppsholmen until 12. The Royal Institute’s nickname, “Mejan”, comes from Gerhard Meyer, who donated the building on Fredsgatan XNUMX to the Academy.
The Royal Institute of Art still rents one studio in the Royal Academy, and the annual graduate exhibition is held in the Academy building.
RESEARCH PROJECT
Students, teachers and members of the Royal Academy in the first 150 years
Based on new basic research, the Academy of Arts' role in history has been interpreted and updated.
The research project Principles and Pragmatism has been completed and has, among other things, resulted in a searchable database of the 2 students who attended the Art Academy's preparatory school, Principskolan, 095-1778. Facts about people connected to the Academy of Fine Arts are among the most requested by both researchers and the public. The hope is that the student lists will be able to contribute to new findings in research on Swedish art in the 1795th century.
Principles and Pragmatism has also actualized a number of themes concerning teaching, the role of women and the influence of those in power from 1735, when the Art Academy was founded, until the 1890s.
Project manager: Eva-Lena Bengtsson, former curator collections and research
Main digitisation: Christina Risberg, former administrative coordinator.
This research project is funded by a grant from the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Fund. Technical equipment was acquired with a grant from the Magnus Bergvall Foundation.
