PALMSTEDT, Erik

Swedish architect working for the court circle of Gustav III, where he was in the forefront of Neoclassical style 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 for twenty-seven years.

He was the son of the court musician Johan Palmstedt and his wife Maria Segerlund. He was a pupil of Stockholm’s city architect, Johan Eberhard Carlberg (1683-1773), becoming vice-architect for the city in 1773. Having intently studied recent developments in architecture through the medium of engravings, 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.

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.

His notable works include the Börshuset (Stockholm bourse, 1767-78); the Norrbro (old North Bridge, Stockholm, rebuilt in stone, in partnership with Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, 1781-1807); the Tullhuset (Customs Warehouse along Skeppsbron, Stockholm, 1783-90); the Palace Theatre at Gripsholm (1781).

Interior view

The Neoclassicism developed in Sweden became known as the “Gustavian style” because of the extraordinarily generous patronage of the arts by King Gustavus III, who ruled the country from 1771 to 1792. The Palace Theatre at Gripsholm, built by Erik Palmstedt in 1781, has much in common with the style of the late French Baroque period as illustrated by the semi-circle of Ionic columns around the auditorium. Indeed, Gustavus even engaged a French theatre troupe to perform in this stage.

Exterior view

Interior view