Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson (24 October 1854,
Helsinki – 9 April 1895, Helsinki) was a painter from the
Grand Duchy of Finland who was noted for his attention to realistic detail.[1][2]
By 1876, he had made the decision to be an artist, so he went to Paris, where he enrolled at the
École des Beaux-Arts and studied under
Jean-Léon Gérôme.[3] He remained there until 1882. During his stay, he became part of a group centered around
Albert Edelfelt (they had been friends since youth) and was influenced by the
Salon style of painting. His first exhibit at the Salon came in 1878.[1][4]
From 1882 to 1883, he visited Egypt[3] as the guest of Alphonse, Baron Delort de Gléon (1843-1899), a mining engineer. He settled in the French community there, painting portraits and providing illustrations, as a correspondent, for Le Monde illustré.[1] Three years after his return to Finland, he got married. In 1889, he received the State Prize for portrait painting.
He frequently returned to Paris to exhibit at the Salon, where he had always had his greatest successes. From 1890 to 1892, he was a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, where
Magnus Enckell was among his best-known students. Others included
Ellen Thesleff[5] and
Beda Stjernschantz.[6]
Berndt Arell, Christian Hoffman: Gunnar Berndtson, Salonkimaalari, Turun Taidemuseo, Pohjoinen, 1998
ISBN951-749-316-9
Maria Vainio-Kurtakko, Idyll eller verklighet?: Albert Edelfelt och Gunnar Berndtson i det moderna genombrottets ambivalens (Idyll or Reality?) Finska fornminnesförening, 2010
ISBN951-90577-6-5
Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson (24 October 1854,
Helsinki – 9 April 1895, Helsinki) was a painter from the
Grand Duchy of Finland who was noted for his attention to realistic detail.[1][2]
By 1876, he had made the decision to be an artist, so he went to Paris, where he enrolled at the
École des Beaux-Arts and studied under
Jean-Léon Gérôme.[3] He remained there until 1882. During his stay, he became part of a group centered around
Albert Edelfelt (they had been friends since youth) and was influenced by the
Salon style of painting. His first exhibit at the Salon came in 1878.[1][4]
From 1882 to 1883, he visited Egypt[3] as the guest of Alphonse, Baron Delort de Gléon (1843-1899), a mining engineer. He settled in the French community there, painting portraits and providing illustrations, as a correspondent, for Le Monde illustré.[1] Three years after his return to Finland, he got married. In 1889, he received the State Prize for portrait painting.
He frequently returned to Paris to exhibit at the Salon, where he had always had his greatest successes. From 1890 to 1892, he was a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, where
Magnus Enckell was among his best-known students. Others included
Ellen Thesleff[5] and
Beda Stjernschantz.[6]
Berndt Arell, Christian Hoffman: Gunnar Berndtson, Salonkimaalari, Turun Taidemuseo, Pohjoinen, 1998
ISBN951-749-316-9
Maria Vainio-Kurtakko, Idyll eller verklighet?: Albert Edelfelt och Gunnar Berndtson i det moderna genombrottets ambivalens (Idyll or Reality?) Finska fornminnesförening, 2010
ISBN951-90577-6-5