Carl Gustaf Bernhard (1910–2001), Doctor and Professor of Physiology, 1939

Artist/Maker

DatesMade: Made 1939

Dimensionsh x w: Mått 29,7 x 23,9 cm

Inventory numberNMGrh 4982

Other titlesTitle (sv): Konstnärens bror Carl Gustaf Bernhard (1910-2001), läkare, neurobiolog, professor i fysiologi vid Karolinska institutet, ständig sekreterare i Vetenskapsakademien, g.m. operasångerskan Gurli Lemon Label (sv): Carl Gustaf Bernhard (1910–2001), professor i fysiologi, läkare, 1939 Title (en): Carl Gustaf Bernhard (1910–2001), Doctor and Professor of Physiology, 1939

DescriptionDescription: Kerstin Bernhard initially worked as a portrait photographer with a studio of her own, which provided her with a steady income. She struck a skillful balance between a personal mode of expression and the conventions of the day. One example of this is her innovative and award-winning portrait of her brother, Carl Gustaf Bernhard, from 1939. It shows him at work as a specialist in the neurophysiology of vision. The image incorporates both humour and elements of the documentary, departing from convention. Press text: New aquisitions, August 2014: Portraits, by Kerstin Bernhard (inventorynumbers NMGrh 4979-4982) Kerstin Bernhard (1914–2004), best known for her fashion and food photography, would have turned 100 on 27 August this year. Bernhard started out as a portrait photographer with her own studio, so Nationalmuseum is delighted to have acquired some of her most important portraits for the Swedish National Portrait Gallery. The majority of the acquired works date from Bernhard’s early career in the 1930s and ’40s, when she was trying to strike a balance between personal expression and the conventions of the time. The award-winning 1939 portrait of the photographer’s brother, Dr Carl Gustaf Bernhard, shows him at work as an optical neurophysiologist. In this piece, Kerstin Bernhard displays creativity, humour, and a documentary aspect that was a break with convention. However, the photograph of her sister-in-law Gurli Lemon-Bernhard, taken the same year, follows the standard portrait template for stars of the performing arts. The subject is portrayed in the role of the page in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. Kerstin Bernhard was commissioned by the magazine Idun to take this photograph as the first in a series of portraits of famous stage and screen personalities. The actor Lars Hanson is seen in another costumed portrait, believed to show him in the role of King Herod in the Royal Dramatic Theatre’s 1945 production of An Idealist by Kaj Munck. The staging reflects the studio tradition of dramatic lighting, with a close-up of the subject’s face in sharp contrast – a look reminiscent of publicity stills for feature films. A portrait of the photographer's friend Viveka Brising with downcast eyes, is an example of a work in the studio tradition that is typical of its time, closely resembling the stereotypical image of women as sweet, passive and introverted. Over time, the creatively minded Kerstin Bernhard lost interest in standard portraits. After the Second World War, when the borders reopened and she was again able to travel to other parts of Europe, she shifted her focus. This generous donation by Carl Johan Bernhard, Kerstin Bernhard’s nephew and assistant, enhances the Swedish National Portrait Gallery with a selection of works by one of the most prominent Swedish photographers of the 20th century. Nationalmuseum has no budget of its own for new acquisitions, but relies on gifting and financial support from private funds and foundations to enhance its collections of fine art and craft.

Depicted Person

Collection

MaterialPhotopaper (Paper)

TechniquePhotograph

Object category