Johan Fredrik Höckert (26 August 1826 – 16 September 1866) was a well-known Swedish artist from Jönköping known for his colorful, dramatic oil paintings depicting historical events. He is one of the most famous nineteenth-century painters in Sweden, and one of the painters most often associated with Swedish national romanticism.
Höckert studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts from 1844 to 1845, and at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich from 1846 to 1849. During the summer of 1850, he traveled throughout Lapland in the northern parts of Sweden. The scenery in this area became the inspiration for many of Höckert's upcoming paintings.
After moving to Paris in 1851, Höckert made his first painting that gained attention from a larger audience, Drottning Kristina och Monaldeschi (English: Queen Christina and Monaldeschi). It was awarded with a mention honorable at the Paris Salon in 1853. Höckert rose to fame two years later, in 1855, with Gudstjänst i Lövmokks fjällkapell (English: Worship service in Lövmokk's fell chapel). It was put on display at the 1855 World's Fair in Paris and was later bought by Napoleon III of France. At this time, Höckert became recognized as one of Sweden's foremost figure painters.
Höckert's success continued and he made several popular paintings during the subsequent years. He was hired as a professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in 1864. At this time, Höckert was working on the painting Slottsbranden i Stockholm den 7 maj 1697 (English: Castle fire in Stockholm on 7 Maj 1697), which was displayed at the 1866 Scandinavian art fair in Stockholm. It is today regarded as one of Sweden's foremost paintings. Höckert died soon thereafter, on 16 September 1866, after several years of health issues.
Early life
Höckert was born to his parents Gustaf Adolf Höckert and Sofia Elisabet Melinon on 26 August 1826 in Jönköping, Sweden. He received drawing lessons from teacher J. J. Ringdahl at the age of twelve. Ringdahl suspected already then that the young boy "would never become anything other than an artist". During his school years, Höckert became friends with Swedish painter Johan Christoffer Boklund, who he had met by coincidence. This led to Höckert quitting his normal school studies to study at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, where Boklund was a teacher. He studied at the school, which is located in Stockholm, from 1844 to 1845.
During his final year at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, Höckert went on a study tour through Sweden, primarily in Jönköping. In 1846, after graduating, Höckert traveled with Boklund to Munich for further studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. For three years he studied there with eagerness, exploring figure painting and genre works. Höckert's first oil painting, Två banditer, som dela rofvet (English: Two bandits, who shared the booty), was sent to Sweden and offered to Konstförening (English: The Art Association), but they did not buy it.
After completing his studies in Munich in 1849, Höckert returned to Sweden in 1850. During the summer of that year, he traveled extensively throughout Lapland in the northern parts of Sweden. Höckert chose Lapland because he had been inspired by the lively descriptions botanic Nils Johan Andersson had made about the nature and people there.
Career
Early career
While studying in Munich, Höckert realized his passion for historical painting. He moved to Paris in 1851, and brought with him several sketches he had made depicting events in Swedish history from the two past centuries. While living in Paris, Höckert painted his first painting that gained attention from a larger audience. It was called Drottning Kristina och Monaldeschi (English: Queen Christina and Monaldeschi), and pictured Christina of Sweden ordering her soldiers to kill Gian Rinaldo Monaldeschi in Fontainebleau in 1657. The painting was awarded with a mention honorable at the Paris Salon in 1853. Höckert made a brief visit to Sweden in 1854 to display the painting there. It was praised by many and he was given the honorary title of agré by the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. Höckert was also given a travel scholarship by the Academy and he returned to Paris at the end of 1854.