Project Manager
Stefan GüntherProject manager
Gunnebo Castle and GardensAmount granted
400 000 SEKYear
2023
When Gunnebo Castle was completed in 1796, it was one of the country's most lavish mansions, with architecture and decoration
inspired by the latest developments on the continent. The architecture followed different models than the
Stockholm-based, more researched, architecture. The decoration followed an artistic program, which in the years
1786-96 by the architect Carl Wilhelm Carlberg and the Italian sculptor Gioacchino Frulli, and constitutes
one of the most significant decorative cycles of the second half of the 18th century in Sweden. Gunnebo's architect C.W. Carlberg
developed an independent design language in relation to the architects in Stockholm - but who were Carlberg's role models?
From the Renaissance onwards, complex iconographic programs - which celebrated the political, economic and
intellectual ambitions - formed the basis for the decoration of a building. These programs were developed in collaboration between
the client and his advisors, of which Gunnebo is a lavish example - but what was Gunnebo's artistic
program? Despite its importance, the background to one of the most prominent Swedish buildings of the 18th century is largely
unexplored. The aim of this project is to describe and analyze the architectural history of Gunnebo and the artistic
program behind its decorations based on an iconological and comparative study of contemporary
developments in Europe. The study will result in a monograph. The ambition is to publish a richly illustrated volume to increase knowledge of the site and its value.