Artwork

Carl Erik Wadenstierna (1723-1807), statssekreterare, gift med 1. Jacobina Sophia Psilanderhielm von Seulenberg, 2. Fredrika Carleson

Carl Erik Wadenstierna (1723-1807), statssekreterare, gift med 1. Jacobina Sophia Psilanderhielm von Seulenberg, 2. Fredrika Carleson is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Niclas Lafrensen. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the Nationalmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Around 1782, Niclas Lafrensen—known in France as Nicolas Lavreince—produced a portrait of Carl Erik Wadenstierna, a Swedish state secretary. The oil work shows the official seated, book in lap, dressed in a blue coat with gold buttons and a lace‑trimmed shirt, set against a warm brown backdrop. The composition conveys a restrained, contemplative mood typical of late‑18th‑century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

Carl Erik Wadenstierna (1723‑1807) held the high office of statssekreterare in Sweden and was married twice, first to Jacobina Sophia Psilanderhielm von Seulenberg and later to Fredrika Carleson. The inclusion of a book suggests his administrative duties and intellectual pursuits, while his sober expression and formal attire emphasize the dignity of his public role.

Technique & Style

Lafrensen employed the Rococo aesthetic, favoring soft lighting and elegant detailing. The painter rendered the subject’s powdered wig and embroidered coat with fine brushwork, creating a tactile sense of texture. The muted brown background isolates the figure, allowing the delicate interplay of light on fabric and skin to dominate the visual field.

History & Provenance

The portrait entered the Nationalmuseum’s collection, where it remains on view. Lafrensen, trained by his father—a miniature portraitist at the Swedish court—had a career spanning Paris and Stockholm, gaining recognition as one of the era’s leading miniaturists before turning to larger oil portraits such as this one.

Context

Created during a period when Swedish officials often commissioned portraits to assert their status, the work reflects the cross‑national artistic exchange of the late Enlightenment. Lafrensen’s dual activity in France and Sweden illustrates the fluid movement of styles and techniques across European courts in the 1780s.