Domesticated Paintings: The Role of Fine Art in Swedish Interiors, 1880-1910

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The aim of this research is to examine the presence of fine art objects (primarily paintings andreproductions thereof) in Swedish domestic settings around 1900, and to investigate the role assigned tothis type of visual art by considering contemporary discourses on the modern home, nationhood andcultural reform. Specifically, these aspects will be viewed within the context of the emergence of theinterior as a concept in late-nineteenth-century European culture, including the new emphasis placed onthe decorative arts and on Arts and Crafts ideals. The main research question is why Swedishintellectuals and artists so actively promoted the inclusion of paintings and other forms of visual art indomestic setting, why they conceived this as both a social and moral task, and how they worked towardthe realisation of their goal. Furthermore, while there are some precedents set by Britain and France, thestudy asks how these sentiments were developed locally in Sweden, thereby instigating an exploration ofalternative models for researching Swedish art and design histories. Taking its point of departure in thewritings by influential figures like the Swedish writer Ellen Key and art historian Carl G. Laurin, this studyexplore Sweden's neighbouring country Denmark as a likely source of inspiration for Key and Laurin'squest for beauty and the impact they believed art could have on all levels of society.