David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl
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The Medevi Spa master and his sons were painted by David Klöker Ehrenstrahl at the end of the 17th Century.
During those times people began journeying to Medevi Spa to enhance their health instead of going abroad. Medevi, here in Östergötland, has a spring that was considered beneficial for rheumatic sufferers. Ehrenstrahl suffered acute gout and first visited Medevi in the summer of 1686. He returned many times to drink the waters in order to ease his suffering.
The painting shows the Spa master and his sons standing in the “Högbrunnen” building. The father has a large beard, the top fashion among the elderly at the time, his sons assist him. Using spouted clay pitchers they take up spa water to serve to the Spa guests. As viewers, we stand on the same spot as the artist himself: right in front of Spa master Lyggers who is just about to offer a filled drinking glass.
The picture is the first of its kind in Sweden to depict an everyday scene with ordinary people. 17th Century art in Sweden was otherwise formed by royalty, nobility and the church. Such were those who could afford to pay for art and artistic decoration.
Ehrenstrahl was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1628. He came to Sweden as a young man and quickly received a Royal commission, later being appointed painter to H.M. The King. He has been called the father of Swedish art which is, naturally, not completely true. He did, however, personally contribute to the growing status of visual arts in Sweden. He died in Stockholm 1698.
The painting in Länsmuseet (the County Museum) is an old copy of Ehrenstrahl’s original which can be found in Gripsholm’s Castle. We do not know who copied the painting, it could have been done in the artist’s own studio, which was sometimes the case when others wanted the same picture. When we want pictures or music we like, we download it from the internet.
