Lea Frederika Ahlborn - schwedische Graveurin

Lea Fredrika Ahlborn (''

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

'' Lundgren) (18 February 1826 – 13 November 1897) was a

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

artist and

medallist A medalist (or medallist) is an artist who designs medals, plaquettes, badges, metal medallions, coins and similar small works in relief in metal. Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually e ...

. She was a member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Arts The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (), commonly called the Royal Academy, is located in Stockholm, Sweden. An independent organization that promotes the development of painting, sculpture, architecture, and other fine arts, it is one of seve ...

and the first woman to be appointed royal

printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique ...

. The position of royal printmaker was counted as a public office, and thereby made her the first female official or civil servant in Sweden.

Biography

She was the child of engraver and medalist Ludwig Peterssen Lundgren (1789–1853) and his wife the artist Rebecca Johanna Salmson (1797–1861). Her mother was the daughter of German-born sculptor Salm Salmson (1766–1822) and the sister of medal designer Johan Salmson (1798–1859). Lea Ahlborn early decided to follow her father in his profession. In 1849, together with

Amalia Lindegren Amalia Euphrosyne Lindegren (22 May 181427 December 1891) was a Swedish artist and painter. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts (1856). Biography Amalia Lindegren was born in Stockholm on 22 May 1814 to Anna Catharina Ekstr ...

Jeanette Möller Jeanette Möller, née Holmlund (5 January 1825 – 25 March 1872) was a Swedish painter. Biography Möller was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the daughter of the merchant Nils Holmlund and Johanna Helena Torsslow. In 1849, she became one ...

and

Agnes Börjesson Agnes Fredrika Börjesson, sometimes called Agneta (1 May 1827, Uppsala – 26 January 1900, Alassio, Italy), was a Swedish painter who specialized in Genre art, genre and historical scenes. Biography Her father, Johan Börjesson, was a pas ...

, she became one of the four women who were given special permission to study art at the

(Swedish: ''Kungliga Akademien för de fria konsterna''), which was then not yet officially open to women students, although female students were accepted with special dispensation. In 1851, she made a study trip to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

with her academy instructor

Carl Gustaf Qvarnström Carl Gustaf Qvarnström (23 March 1810 – 5 March 1867) was a Swedish sculptor and painter. Biography Qvarnström was born and died in Stockholm. His father, , was a chamber servant (kammartjänare) for Princess Sofia Albertina. At the ...

(1810–1867) and her brother Pehr Henrik Lundgren (1824–1855), where she trained with the sculptor

Armand Toussaint The French sculptor François Christophe Armand Toussaint was born in Paris on April 7, 1806, and died there on May 24, 1862. The son of a locksmith, Armand Toussaint entered the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, École des Beaux-Art ...

(1806–1862), sculptor

Jean-Auguste Barre Jean Auguste Barre (25 September 1811 – 5 February 1896) was a French sculptor and medalist. Born in Paris, he was trained by his father Jean-Jacques Barre (1793–1855), a medalist. In 1879, he succeeded his brother Jean-Auguste Barre as ...

(1811–1896) and her maternal uncle, Johan Salmson. In 1853, she returned to Sweden. That same year her father died, and she functioned as royal printmaker while awaiting the return of her brother, who decided to take over their father's position. However, her brother subsequently died while in Paris. In 1855, she was appointed royal printmaker and elected as a member in the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. She kept herself updated in everything regarding her work, and was given assignments from the

Swedish Academy The Swedish Academy (), founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. Its 18 members, who are elected for life, comprise the highest Swedish language authority. Outside Scandinavia, it is best known as the body t ...

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences () is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for promoting nat ...

and the

Royal Swedish Pro Patria Society The Swedish Royal Society Pro Patria () is a Swedish society and a charitable organisation founded in 1766, and a royal society under royal protection since 1775 (King Gustav III Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', wa ...

in Stockholm and by Empress Eugenie of France. In 1881, she made the medal portraits for the celebration of the wedding of the future King

Gustav V Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf; 16 June 1858 – 29 October 1950) was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxe ...

and Queen

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. She was hired by the

Government of the United States The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, execut ...

to make the medal of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

in 1883 for the centenary of the end of the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

and in 1892 for the celebration of

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

' discovery of America. Her sister, Carolina Weidenhayn, (1822–1902), became the first professional female

xylographer Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with Chisel#Gouge, gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts ...

, who after studies in Paris 1858–1867, became an instructor (1859–1881) at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design ( ''Tekniska Skolan'') (now

Konstfack Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, is a university college for higher education in the area of art, crafts and design in Stockholm, Sweden. History Konstfack has had several different names since it was founded in 1844 by the eth ...

) in

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

Personal life

Lea Ahlborn married German-born ornamental sculptor Karl Henrik Fredrik Martin Ahlborn (1819–1895). They were the parents of several children including Carl Gustaf Ahlborn (1857–1932) who served as commander of the

Karlskrona Coastal Artillery Regiment The Karlskrona Coastal Artillery Regiment (), designation KA 2, was a Swedish Navy coastal artillery regiment of the Swedish Armed Forces which operated between 1902 and 2000. The unit was based in Karlskrona. History Formation of Swedish Coasta ...

. She was a member of the women's association

Nya Idun ('New Idun') is a Swedish cultural association for women founded in 1885, originally as a female counterpart to ('the Idun Society'). Its aim was to "gather educated women in the Stockholm area for informal gatherings". Activity was founded ...

. In 1892, she was awarded the Swedish Royal Medal ''

Illis Quorum ''Illis quorum'' (''Illis quorum meruere labores'') (English: "For Those Whose Labors Have Deserved It") is a gold medal awarded for outstanding contributions to Swedish culture, science or society. The award was introduced in 1784 by King Gusta ...

'' by King

Oscar II of Sweden Oscar II (Oscar Fredrik; 21 January 1829 – 8 December 1907) was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death in 1907 and King of Norway from 1872 to 1905. Oscar was the son of Oscar I of Sweden, King Oscar I and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, Queen J ...

. She entered retirement on 28 May 1897.

Gallery

File:Sjöhistoriska museet Stockholm, föremålsnummer 20318a.jpg, Relief of King Oscar I (obverse) File:Svenska seglarsällskapets förtjänstmedalj, 20318.jpg, Neptune's wreath for a sailboat (reverse) File:Minnesmedalj över VEGAS Nordostpassage, Ö 3276.jpg, Relief of

Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (; 18 November 183212 August 1901) was a Finland-Swedish aristocrat, geologist, mineralogist and Arctic explorer. He was a member of the noble Nordenskiöld family of scientists and held the title of a friherre (ba ...

and

Louis Palander Adolf Arnold Louis Palander af Vega (2 October 1842 – 7 August 1920) was a Swedish naval officer, mostly remembered as the captain on Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld's Vega expedition, the first successful attempt to navigate the Northeast Passa ...

(obverse) File:Minnesmedalj VEGAs fullbordande av Nordostpassagen, 25567.jpg, Vega Expedition of 1878–1880 (reverse) File:Minnesmedalj Gustav V och Victoria, 25567.jpg, King Gustav V and Queen Victoria wedding (obverse) File:Minnesmedalj Gustav V och Victoria, 25567b.jpg, King Gustav V and Queen Victoria wedding (reverse)

References

Other sources

* Österberg, Carin et al. (1990) ''Svenska kvinnor: föregångare, nyskapare'' (Swedish women: Predecessors, pioneers) (Lund: Signum) (Swedish)

External links