Louis Sparre

Who was Louis Sparre?

Count Pehr Louis Sparre was a Swedish painter, designer and draughtsman, most noted for his early work in the Finnish national romanticism and jugend styles. He also competed in the individual and team épée fencing events at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Born in Gravellona, Italy, Sparre studied in Paris with Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Eero Järnefelt and Emil Wikström and took part in painting trips in Karelia with Kallela and Wikström. Sparre is often mentioned as a founder of the Karelianism movement, along with Kallela. He moved to Finland in 1889, living there for almost two decades. In 1893 Sparre married the Finnish Eva Mannerheim, an artist and the sister of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.

After the mid-1890s, Sparre reduced his work as a painter and instead worked on developing the industrial art and graphics industry in Finland. In 1897 he founded the Iris furniture and ceramics factory in Porvoo. Impressed by the pottery of the English-Belgian ceramist and painter Alfred William Finch, Sparre invited him to manage the ceramics department. By the request of his friend, Karl Emil Ståhlberg, Sparre also worked as the director for the first Finnish fictional film, the 20-minute long Salaviinanpolttajat in 1907.