Carl Eldh
Carl Eldh was a sculptor, based in Stockholm 1904–1954. He was educated at art school in Stockholm and, as well as many other artists at the time, in Paris. During his lifetime, Carl Eldh established himself as a recognized portrait sculptor, and he was also commissioned to create a number of large monuments. Eldh’s sculptures are widely spread throughout the country and can be found in cities, parks, on building façades and in private as well as public collections.
Eldh’s artistic talent was evident from an early age. He left school at the age of 12 to contribute to the family income, his first job was as a teacher at a carpentry school. The earliest known artwork is a relief, carved in oak when he was 13 years old. One of his first known public works, a wooden relief for the portico of the church in Film village dated 1895, can be found in his home parish in Northern Uppland.
Before he got an opportunity to study in France, Carl Eldh attended Technical Evening School (Konstfack) while living in Stockholm. 1897–1904 Eldh studied and worked in Paris. During that time he exhibited both in Paris and Stockholm, which was mainly possible by his Swedish Artists’ League membership. In 1901 Eldh was commissioned to portray the Swedish King Oscar II. Another early success was Grieving mother, a portrayal of a woman embracing her dead infant. For this work he was awarded gold medal at Salon de Paris. The work was later cut in Carrara marble for Glyptoteket in Copenhagen. Eldh’s motifs from this period include everyday scenes, model studies and portraits.
During early 20th century, Eldh cooperated with many well known architects. One early commission in Stockholm was producing a series of reliefs and sculptures in sandstone (1905) for the Nordic Museum by architect Isak Gustaf Clason. In 1906 two reliefs in granite was performed for Östermalm Public High School “Östra Real” by architect Ragnar Östberg. In the 1920s Carl Eldh contributed with a number of sculptures to another Östberg building, Stockholm City Hall.
Eldh’s earliest depiction of the writer August Strindberg, portraied “on a stroll” was inspired by a real life scene. When Eldh worked in his studio at Narvavägen, he could study Strindberg, walking by his windows.
Carl Eldh is probably most known for his many depictions of August Strindberg, but his portrait repertoire was fairly broad with depictions of both historic and contemporary persons, which can be experienced in the museums’ collection. Eldh was a recognized portrait sculptor due to his unique talent to focus attention on the individual, he strived to capture a person’s entire being. One of Carl Eldh’s most popular sculptures is The Youth (1911), seen in many public spaces throughout the country.
Carl Eldh is represented in both private and public collections, among others Museum of Modern Art and Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde in Stockholm. Uppsala Art Museum, Gothenburg Art Museum, Museum of Sketches in Lund, The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, The National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, and Swedish Institute in Paris. There are big public collections in Stockholm City, Olofström county and in the sculpture park Rottneros, Värmland.