Gunnar Berndtson

Gunnar Berndtson studied at Adolf von Becker's private school. Training under Bernhard Reinhold, Erik Johan Löfgren and Jean-Léon Gérôme is recorded. Magnus Enckell, Väinö Blomstedt and Beda Stjernschantz are recorded as having studied under Gunnar Berndtson. The recorded working language is Finnish and Swedish. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait and genre. Places of work recorded in the authority are Helsinki and Paris. Works named in the authority record are Gustaf Cederström, 1845-1933. Work by Gunnar Berndtson is recorded in the collections of Nationalmuseum, Finnish National Gallery, Turku Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery of Sweden.

• Name — Gunnar Berndtson • Birth Name — Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson • Born — 24 October 1854 • Birthplace — Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland • Died — 9 April 1895 • Place of death — Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland • Field — Painting

His father was Fredrik Berndtson, a well-known author, journalist and poet. He began his higher studies at the Polytechnic Institute (now the Helsinki University of Technology). Since 1869, however, he had been associating with members of the Academy of Fine Arts and was auditing art classes at the University of Helsinki taught by Erik Johan Löfgren and others. By 1876, he had made the decision to be an artist, so he went to Paris, where he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts and studied under Jean-Léon Gérôme. He remained there until 1882. During his stay, he became part of a group centered around Albert Edelfelt (they had been friends since youth) and was influenced by the Salon style of painting. His first exhibit at the Salon came in 1878. From 1882 to 1883, he visited Egypt as the guest of Alphonse, Baron Delort de Gléon (1843-1899), a mining engineer. He settled in the French community there, painting portraits and providing illustrations, as a correspondent, for Le Monde illustré. Three years after his return to Finland, he got married. In 1889, he received the State Prize for portrait painting. He frequently returned to Paris to exhibit at the Salon, where he had always had his greatest successes. From 1890 to 1892, he was a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, where Magnus Enckell was among his best-known students. Others included Ellen Thesleff and Beda Stjernschantz. Berndtson died in 1895 of a "degenerative ailment"; possibly syphilis. He is buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.

Gunnar Berndtson was recorded at birth as Gunnar Fredrik Berndtson. The authorities additionally record the headings Berndtson, bernston, G. Berndtson and G. His recorded languages were Finnish and Swedish. He was the child of Fredrik Berndtson.