Gustavian Style - In Sweden, during the reign of King Gustav III from 1771 to 1792, travel to foreign countries was the privilege of the wealthy nobility and successful artists and musicians. The King himself was a cultured man and advocate of the European Enlightenment. His patronage of the visual arts was linked with patriotic ambition and an admiration for the life of the French court at Versailles. In 1770, King Gustav spent time in France where he acquired a passion for the newly fashionable Neo-Classical style.
The subsequent influence of the French classical style produced a fresh approach to Sweden's established style of interiors. French brocades, arabesques and damasks were transformed in the hands of the local craftsmen and artists. The combination of elegant formality with an unassuming simplicity has inspired these designs.
Zoffany shares a natural affinity with the Gustavian colour palettes. Core colours of creams, whites, blues and greys are warmed with the addition of earthy reds. The use of modern printing techniques and rich opaque pigments has perfectly captured the authentic textures of natural wood and rough plaster within a wallpaper collection the exudes character, elegance and simplicity.
