Byström, Johan Niclas

SCULPTOR (SWEDEN)
BORN 18 Dec 1783, Filipstad - DIED 13 Mar 1848, Roma, Lazio
GRAVE LOCATION Roma, Lazio: Cimitero Acattolico, Via Caio Cestio 6 (Zona Prima, 6.4)

Johan Niclas Byström studied in Stockholm under Johan Tobias Sergel (1740-1814). He won the prize of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1809 and visited Rome in 1810. His "The Reclining Bacchante" that he sent home from Rome made him instantly famous. He lived with an Italian woman called Lucia and they had children. In 1816 went back to Sweden where he presented the crown prince with a large statue of himself. Further statues of Swedish kings followed.

Although he was appointed professor of sculpture during his stay in Sweden, he soon returned to Rome. With the exeception of a few years, he lived there until his death. His relationship with Lucia ended around 1818 but he held contact with her and their children. In 1818 he bought the splendid Villa Malta. He sold it to king Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1828 and moved to the smaller house that he had bought before near the wall of the mausoleum of Augustus. He regretted the sale of the Villa Malta afterwards.

When he died in 1848 he left part of his fortune to his beautiful Swedish model housekeeper and model Karolina Bygler, known as Eleonora Bistrom by the Romans.

Images

The grave of Johan Niclas Byström at the Cimitero Acattolico, Rome.
Picture by Androom (27 Feb 2015)

 

Sources
Johan Niclas Byström - Wikipedia (EN)


Cabanel, Alexandre

Published: 30 Dec 2018
Last update: 12 Feb 2024