Maria Röhl Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Maria Röhl
Self portrait by Maria Röhl, 1829
Born	Maria Christina Röhl 26 July 1801 Stockholm
Died	5 July 1875 Stockholm
Nationality	Swedish
Known for	Drawing, Painting

Maria Christina Röhl (born July 26, 1801 – died July 5, 1875) was a talented Swedish artist. She was famous for drawing portraits of many important people in Sweden. This was during the early to mid-1800s. Her beautiful artworks can be seen at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. The Swedish Royal Library also has a huge collection of about 1,800 of her portraits. Maria Röhl was so skilled that she became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in 1843. She was also an official portrait artist for the royal family.

Early Life and Training
- Developing Her Artistic Skills
Becoming a Professional Artist
- Royal Recognition and Further Studies
Gallery
See also

Early Life and Training

Maria Röhl was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She came from a family that was quite well-off. Her father, Jacob Röhl, was a consul. Her mother was Maria Christina Kierrman. Maria also had a sister named Gustafva Röhl, who became an educator.

Sadly, Maria's parents passed away in 1822. After this, she first worked as a governess. A governess teaches children in their home.

Developing Her Artistic Skills

Maria had already learned some art from an architect and artist named Alexander Hambré. After her parents' death, she continued her art education. She was taught drawing by Professor Christian Forssell. He was also a copper engraver.

Forssell taught Maria how to create quick and realistic portraits. She used lead and chalk for these drawings. This style became her specialty.

Becoming a Professional Artist

Maria started by drawing portraits of her friends. These were friends of the Forssell family, where she lived. Soon, it became very popular in high society to have a portrait done by "mamsell Röhl." This means "Miss Röhl."

She quickly became able to earn a living as an artist. Many people hired her, especially those who could not afford oil paintings. She drew a large number of famous Swedes of her time. These included both noble people and actors. While Maria Röhl could paint in oil, most of her work was drawings. These were mainly done with lead and chalk.

Royal Recognition and Further Studies

In 1843, Maria Röhl received a special honor. She was named a court painter. This meant she was an official artist for the royal family.

From 1843 to 1846, she traveled to Paris, France. There, she studied with a famous portrait painter named Leon Cogniet. She attended the École des Beaux-Arts, a well-known art school.

After returning to Sweden, Maria opened her own art studio. It was located at Brunkebergstorg in Stockholm. In her later years, a new art form became popular: photography. This new way of making pictures became a strong competitor to her drawn portraits. Maria Röhl passed away in Stockholm.