The Fürstenberg Gallery

The Fürstenberg Gallery is a private collection of mainly Nordic and French art assembled by Pontus (1827–1902) and Göthilda (1837–1901) Fürstenberg around the turn of the 20th century. The collection was displayed in their residence at Brunnsparken in central Gothenburg, in Sweden’s first private art gallery open to the public, inaugurated in 1885. The couple initially collected works in the Düsseldorf style, a 19th century movement originating from the Düsseldorf Academy. They soon shifted their focus to outdoor painting by Nordic artists working in Paris—not least the so called “Opponents”, who drew inspiration from the Paris art scene and criticized outdated teaching methods in Sweden. When reforms were not implemented, they founded the Artists’ Union in 1886. The Fürstenbergs donated their collection to the Gothenburg Museum, where it was displayed in a dedicated space in 1902. In 1925 it was moved to the newly built museum at Götaplatsen, together with parts of the original interior. The wall colours and preserved ceiling sculptures echo the appearance of the original gallery. Carl Larsson’s watercolour Interior from the Fürstenberg Gallery offers a vivid impression of its atmosphere. The gallery provides a unique glimpse into a transformative period in Nordic art and contains many of the era’s most significant works.