Erik Palmstedt (16 December 1741, Stockholm — 12 June 1803) was a Swedish architect working for the court circle of

Gustav III Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. Gustav was a vocal opponent of what ...

, where he was in the forefront of

Neoclassical style Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing sty ...

and at the heart of a social and intellectual circle that formed round him. He was also a musician, who served as organist at

Riddarholm Church Riddarholmen Church ( sv, Riddarholmskyrkan) is the church of the former medieval Greyfriars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden. The church serves as the final resting place of most Swedish monarchs. Riddarholmen Church is located on the island o ...

for twenty-seven years.

Early life and education

Erik Palmstedt was born in Södermalm on December 5, 1741, according to the

Julian Calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

in use at that time (December 16, 1741 according to the

Gregorian Calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

later adopted and currently in use.) He was the son of court musician Johan Palmstedt and his wife Maria Segerlund. At the age of seven, Palmstedt began to attend Maria Church School, where one of his schoolmates was the future Swedish writer of songs

Carl Michael Bellman Carl Michael Bellman (; 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as well ...

, who became his lifelong friend. At the age of 14, Palmstedt became a pupil of Stockholm's city architect, Johan Eberhard Carlberg. In an assessment written when Palmstedt was 19, Carlsberg praised him for his "unusual wisdom, labor and diligence."

Career

As early as 1760, Palmstedt's name appears on architectural drawings for eight buildings in Södermalm, which had suffered a major fire in 1759. After the death of Carlberg in 1773, Palmstedt became Stockholm's vice-architect, a position he would hold until the end of his life. (It was Karl Henrik König who succeeded Carlberg as chief architect.) Having intently studied recent developments in architecture through the medium of

engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an in ...

s, in 1778-80 he was able for the first time to travel to France and Italy to study architecture at first hand. Through his marriage in 1784 to Hedvig Gustafva Robsahmsson, he was rendered financially independent. The circle that gathered at their house on Svartmannagatan included noted Swedish songwriter

and the composer

Joseph Martin Kraus Joseph Martin Kraus (20 June 1756 – 15 December 1792), was a German-Swedish composer in the Classical era who was born in Miltenberg am Main, Germany. He moved to Sweden at age 21, and died at the age of 36 in Stockholm. He has been referred ...

. He was made a fellow of the Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in 1791; he was also a member of the Royal Academy of Music.

Notable works

* '' Börshuset'', (Stockholm bourse), 1767-1778 (''illustration''). *

Gripsholm Gripsholm Castle ( sv, Gripsholms slott) is a castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, Sweden. It is located by lake Mälaren in south central Sweden, in the municipality of Strängnäs, about 60 km west of Stockholm. Since Gustav Vasa, Grip ...

, the Court Theatre, 1781, inspired by Palladio's 16th century

Teatro Olimpico The Teatro Olimpico ("Olympic Theatre") is a theatre in Vicenza, northern Italy, constructed in 1580–1585. The theatre was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and was not completed until after his death. The ...

Norrbro Norrbro (Swedish for "North Bridge") is an arch bridge over Norrström in central Stockholm. It extends north from the northern front of the Royal Palace passing over Helgeandsholmen in front of the Riksdag building, and from there over to Gustav ...

, the old "North Bridge", Stockholm, rebuilt in stone, in partnership with

Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz (30 January 1716 – 1 March 1796) was a Swedish architect and civil servant. Adelcrantz's style developed from a rococo influenced by Carl Hårleman, the leading architect in Sweden in the early years of his career, to a ...

, 1781-1807 * Tullhuset, the Customs Warehouse along Skeppsbron, Stockholm, 1783-1790 * Svartå slott, 1783-1792 *

Arvfurstens palats Arvfurstens palats (Palace of the Hereditary Prince) is a palace located at Gustav Adolfs Torg in central Stockholm. Designed by Erik Palmstedt, the palace was originally the private residence of Princess Sophia Albertina. It was built 1783-1794 ...

, for Princess Sophia Albertina, Stockholm, 1783-1794. Today it houses the Swedish Foreign Office. * Levin's villa,

Riddarholmen Riddarholmen (, "The Knights' Islet") is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden. The island forms part of Gamla Stan, the old town, and houses a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century. The main landmark is the church Riddarh ...

, after 1771 * Skinnskattebergs herrgård, begun in 1775 * Heby castle, around 1780 * Hildebrandska huset (House of Hildebrand), 1780-1800 * Stortorgsbrunnen, 1778 * Tyska brunn, 1785 * Palmstedt's hus (House of Palmstedt), 1801 * Fållnäs gård, 1780-1807 * Dalarö tullhus, 1788 * Söderfors church, 1789-1792 * Gamla Riddarholmsbron (The old bridge of Riddarholmen), 1784-1789 (demolished 1867) * The Stockholm Pantheon, begun in 1791 (incompleted)

References

External links

(Stockholm City Archives) Bo Lundström, "Erik Palmstedt, architect, professor"
(in Swedish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Palmstedt, Erik 1741 births 1803 deaths Musicians from Stockholm Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Swedish male musicians 18th-century Swedish architects Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts