Carl Fredrik von Breda

Stockholm 1759 - 1818

Carl Fredrik von Breda began his life as an artist propitiously. He was born into a wealthy family with artistic traditions. His Dutch grandfather, Lucas van Breda, switched from portrait painting to the more profitable silk trading. Breda's father made his wealth in the insurance business and assembled a noteworthy art collection. He understood his son's talent and supported Carl Fredrik von Breda in his choice of career.

Carl Fredrik von Breda was one of the star pupils at the Stockholm Academy of Art, where Lorens Pasch the Younger was his most influential teacher. In 1787, Breda left for England which together with France provided many Swedish artists with a seat of learning and a way to success. For a couple of years, Breda was taught by Sir Joshua Reynolds, one of the leading portrait painters in London. Breda adopted the English style of portraiture so well that he soon began to earn a reputation as a portrait painter in the fiercely competitive situation in London at that time.

Breda returned to Sweden for good in 1796. His talent was at its best and his eloquent style and outlook on the emotional life of the individual were in harmony with the romantic ideas that drifted to Sweden from the turbulent continent. Breda became the new favourite in artistic circles in Stockholm. After the turn of the century, Breda's work became fettered by the ideas of Neo-Classicism that were not particularly compatible with his nature and he started to use darker, often reddish overall colouring. He remained highly respected throughout his life and as he grew older he became a powerful authority in Sweden's official art world.