Poet, Musician. He gained recognition as a Swedish poet, songwriter, composer, musician, and entertainer of the 1700s. He has been compared to Shakespeare, Beethoven, and Mozart. His poor and hard life in Stockholm was reflected in his ballads. This poor life-style came with debt and caused him to struggle to have his music published. Swedish King Gustav III became his benefactor and many came to hear him perform. He gained a reputation of a great entertainer and poet. In 1790 his piece "Fredman's Epistles" was published and the following year "Fredmon's Songs." Each collection had seventy songs. These songs reflected the social life of Stockholm during this era with its extensive alcoholism and prostitution. In 1792, King Gustav III was assassinated and Bellman lost his protector. In 1793 he became a member of the Swedish Academy of Music, but his personal problems increased. In June of 1794 he was arrested for unpaid debts and imprisoned where he became ill. After his release, he never recovered and died in early 1795 from tuberculosis. His writings have been translated into English, French, Russian, German and Italian. He played a guitar-like instrument called a cittem, which was given to him by his grandfather and is on display at the National Museum in Stockholm. In 1872, a statue of Bellman was created by sculptor Alfred Nystrom and displayed in front of the Restaurant Hasselbacken in Djurgarden, Stockholm. The Swedish Academy of Music placed on his grave a bronze memorial medallion of Bellman, which was created by sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel.
Poet, Musician. He gained recognition as a Swedish poet, songwriter, composer, musician, and entertainer of the 1700s. He has been compared to Shakespeare, Beethoven, and Mozart. His poor and hard life in Stockholm was reflected in his ballads. This poor life-style came with debt and caused him to struggle to have his music published. Swedish King Gustav III became his benefactor and many came to hear him perform. He gained a reputation of a great entertainer and poet. In 1790 his piece "Fredman's Epistles" was published and the following year "Fredmon's Songs." Each collection had seventy songs. These songs reflected the social life of Stockholm during this era with its extensive alcoholism and prostitution. In 1792, King Gustav III was assassinated and Bellman lost his protector. In 1793 he became a member of the Swedish Academy of Music, but his personal problems increased. In June of 1794 he was arrested for unpaid debts and imprisoned where he became ill. After his release, he never recovered and died in early 1795 from tuberculosis. His writings have been translated into English, French, Russian, German and Italian. He played a guitar-like instrument called a cittem, which was given to him by his grandfather and is on display at the National Museum in Stockholm. In 1872, a statue of Bellman was created by sculptor Alfred Nystrom and displayed in front of the Restaurant Hasselbacken in Djurgarden, Stockholm. The Swedish Academy of Music placed on his grave a bronze memorial medallion of Bellman, which was created by sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel.
Bio by: Peter Robsahm
Family Members
Spouse
Advertisement
See more Bellman memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
