Thursday 30 June 2011

Lars Sjoberg, hero of Swedish Heritage Conservation ... Restorer of the Gustavian Style.


Gustav III of Sweden

In 1771, the future Gustav III returned to his native Sweden from the French court of Versailles to ascend the throne as king after his father’s sudden death. The young monarch had been profoundly inspired by French Neoclassical architecture and decorative arts. Later trips to France and Italy gave further impetus to Gustav’s passion for the classical. During his reign (1772-1792), Sweden rose to a level of architectural and cultural sophistication never known before. The king transformed this once removed European country into the “Paris of the North,” setting a standard of style for most levels of Swedish society that continued well into the 19th century.

Early Gustavian decoration was clearly inspired by the French Neo-classical movement but the late Gustavian style was more closely identified with Italy after engravings inspired by the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum began to circulate in Sweden following the return of Swedish court architects and artisans such as Rehn, Adelcrantz and the Masreliez brothers. Following these foreign impulses the Swedes created a more restrained or austere style of decoration more suitable for Sweden than the over embellished Baroque and Rococo styles.


‘I feel very strongly that it is ultimately damaging to our humanity if we surround ourselves with things that are not worth maintaining and restoring. It must affect our psyches to know that we live in an ephemeral world, bequeathing little of value to the coming generations.’

My goals have always been to salvage and reveal hidden qualities wherever possible. I feel that if we bulldoze or strip away the past we are depriving the next generation of an essential part of their cultural heritage.’
Lars Sjoberg


Lars Sjöberg is an art historian and curator of the National Museum of Stockholm.
He is a well-known author of beautiful published books about Swedish furniture.
He is mentionned in a lot of international magazines.
In the 1990's he designed a Swedish furniture line for Ikea.
Lars Sjöberg owns 6 beautiful houses in Sweden.



Lars Sjoberg is one of Sweden's national treasures. He is as widely known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of Sweden's historic houses as he is for his passionate concern to preserve them. Presented here are the eight houses (and one church) that he has acquired over forty years, many of which he bought in order to save them from being demolished. They range from a miniature Baroque manor house to an imposing Italianate Neoclassical villa, from a late 17th-century aristocratic mansion to the two-room dwellings of early 19th-century smelting workers. Each house tells a story giving an insight into why it was built and how it changed with succeeding generations. Each has been lovingly photographed by Ingalill Snitt. Text and pictures combine to show how the appealing style that has come to be recognized as quintessentially Swedish developed from its roots in the late 17th century to flower in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Here are the pale wood floors and muslin curtains, the elegant Gustavian furniture, the gleaming gilded mirrors, the charming painted wall decorations and the simple sprigged or striped fabrics, used in entirely authentic interiors. An art historian and a museum curator, Sjoberg is also a superb self-taught craftsman who believes ardently in the value of learning from the past to preserve the future. His principles are borne out by the meticulous way in which he has restored and conserved his houses. His first and most complex undertaking was the manor of Regnaholm. Built in the 1770s, redecorated in the early years of the 19th century and unoccupied for about forty years when he took it on in 1966, it allowed him to experiment with interior decoration and refurnishing. He has built on this knowledge over the decades, reproducing furniture, having fabrics rewoven and reprinted and lighting and even porcelain copied. This book is a ravishingly beautiful, deeply personal summary of everything Lars Sjoberg has learnt in his years of working and living with classic Swedish interiors.

Table of Contents
Foreword by Ingalill Snitt A Plea for the Past Salaholm Sorby Odenslunda Regnaholm The Brukskontoret at Leufsta Bruk Ekensberg The Hyttan at Dylta Bruk Bratteberg The EFS Church at Bollsta Bruk Index Acknowledgements

About the Author
Lars Sjoberg had a 36-year career at the National Museum in Sweden, and for many of those years he was Senior Curator in the Department of the Royal Castles Collections. During that time he worked on the exhibitions Empire Style, Thought and Form in Rococo and The Sun and the Polar Star (Stockholm and Paris). Since 1990 he has been a consultant on reproduction 18th-century furniture for the National Board of Antiquities and IKEA. He is the author of over fifteen books, including The Swedish Room. Ingalill Snitt specializes in architecture and interior design photography, and also directs television commercials. Her books of photography include Splendore di Sicilia, Swedish -- Light, Shape, Architecture, Living in Norway and two with Lars Sjoberg: The Swedish Room and The Swedish House. Her work is regularly featured in magazines including Elle, Marie Claire, Architectural Digest and The World of Interiors.


Other books by other authors ...

























Wednesday 29 June 2011

"Intermezzo" A daily ritual to Patrick Grant of Norton & Sons ?


The BBC illustrated in the marvellous documentary "Savile Row", the challenges that this famous row of temples of the "bespoke" have to face in the present to survive and guarantee quality in the future … Patrick was able to acquire Norton & Sons … and because he cycles everyday … ( something that “Jeeves” approves enthusiastically as he lives in Amsterdam) he goes daily through a metamorphosis before he changes into what people "expect" from the “Row” Gentleman …

Monday 27 June 2011

The English Season 1 ... Royal Ascot 2011



Royal Ascot fashion: Outlandish hats all the rage on first day of the races Mirror 14/06/2011

The Queen headed to sunny Royal Ascot today as punters celebrated 300 years of the famous racecourse.
Racegoers applauded the monarch as she waved to the crowds, entering the parade ground in a traditional horse drawn royal carriage procession.
The colour of the Queen's hat is always the subject of much speculation and plentiful bets during the five day meet in Berkshire, but today the monarch opted for pale green.
Her Angela Kelly creation was made of sinamay with pink and green trimming and her matching fine wool coat and pink and green printed ivory silk satin dress was by Karl Ludwig.
Princess Beatrice wore a fawn coloured wide brimmed classic hat
She was joined in the open top carriage in the bright sunshine by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and leading Saudi owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Princess Beatrice, in the second carriage with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Eugenie, was wearing a fawn coloured wide brimmed classic hat - far more traditional than her much-talked-about Philip Treacy royal wedding headgear.
Before the start of the races, the Queen unveiled a bronze sculpture of the four time Gold cup winner Yeats in the paddock as royals including the Princess Royal and Princess Michael of Kent looked on.
Celebrities including Gary Lineker and wife Danielle and Holly Valance were among the racing fans at the famous sporting and social event today.
An array of outlandish hats especially created for the anniversary year were on display, including a towering structure crafted from fake hair and cabbage roses to a top hat decorated with birthday candles.
This year's Royal Ascot is taking place as the venue marks its 300th year, having been founded by Queen Anne in 1711.
Anneka Tanaka-Svenska wore a 2ft headpiece made of blonde hair and pink and green roses designed by Louis Mariette and inspired by the Queen Anne period.
Ms Tanaka-Svenska, who struggled to keep the unusual creation upright, said: "It's difficult to wear but I'm an ex-ballerina so perhaps a small amount of my dance poise has helped.
"Because it's attached to my hair which is very fine, it pulls a little bit."
Mariette, who said the piece was inspired by the outrageous headwear worn by the Duchess of Devonshire and Marie Antoinette, said: "Just look at her strain. I had better rescue her before it topples."
Ms Tanaka-Svenska's pink and white corset dress was made by historical costume designer Kate Brooks and is a replica of one worn by Queen Anne.
Milliner David Shilling wore a black top hat decorated with two cocktail glasses, red white and blue balloons, a wad of bank notes and candles which spelt out Happy Birthday.
"It's the 300th year of Ascot and I thought we should wish it a happy birthday. It could have been worse. I could have worn my birthday suit and that would have really shocked people," he said.
Royal watchers had been hoping for an appearance by the newlywed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but aides confirmed they would not be attending Ascot this week.
Belinda Strudwick, from Kilkenny, Ireland, wore a saucer hat - a style recently favoured by Kate - embellished with dusky pink roses.
"It's by State of Grace. They made my dress and shoes too. They're very good designers," Ms Strudwick said.
Florence Claridge, from London, wore a large structure of two circles decorated in daisies which was made by David Shilling.
"Ascot is wonderful. It's just the ambience if the whole thing. Nobody does it like us," she said.
Charles and Camilla met the newly knighted trainer Sir Henry Cecil and jockey Tom Queally after their win in the St James's Palace Stakes with Frankel.
Avid racing fan the Queen and the royals watched the race from their Royal Box as thousands across the course enjoyed the first day of the meet.
The stands were filled with women in their finery and men decked out in top hats and tails.
In the exclusive Royal Enclosure, a strict dress code must be observed.
Women must wear a hat or "substantial fascinator". Off the shoulder and halter neck dresses, dresses with a strap of less than one inch and miniskirts are all banned.
Midriffs must be covered up and trouser suits should be full length and of matching material and colour.
Men must wear morning dress with a waistcoat and top hat.
The annual gathering is as much a social occasion as an event for betting punters.
Each year, the crowds consume some 170,000 bottles of champagne, around 10,000 lobsters, 5,000 oysters and 18,000 punnets of strawberries.