Officeren som arkitekt och konstnär i det svenska 1800-talet

Sammanfattning: In the study of 19th century, Swedish art history, military artists are repeatedly discovered, often as sketch-artists or painters, but also in their capacity as directors of the Board of Public Building or architects. Within picture art, these so-called "military painters" areconsidered to be typical representatives of the widespread amateurism of the century.The aim of this study, is to describe and illustrate the background to military contributions to 19th century architecture and picture art, and, using several case-studies, show the depth and variation in character, wich was a hallmark of their building and artistic activities.The position of the Army in society and its education in architecture and drawing arepresented, together with four officers as architects and town-planner, and the four military directors of the Board of Public Building, who attained the highest position in the hierarchy of Swedish art. Six artistically-active officers are also presented, who, though they often occur in surveys of Swedish art history, have never, together, been the object of any closer examination. The role of drawing in educational aims and the position of amateurism, is discussed in the final chapter, while a shorter international perspective concludes the presentation.