Paragraph 1: A City of Contrasts
Stockholm on New Year’s Eve 1899 was a city of stark contrasts. While the elite celebrated the dawn of a new century in the luxurious Restaurant du Sud atop Mariahissen, enjoying breathtaking views, poverty and hardship plagued the surrounding neighborhoods. This duality, the juxtaposition of opulence and destitution, is the central theme of the Stadsmuseet exhibition, "New Stockholm: The Turn of the 20th Century." The exhibition captures the essence of a city in transition, grappling with rapid modernization, social upheaval, and the widening gap between rich and poor. Horse-drawn carriages shared cobbled streets with nascent automobiles, shop windows tempted passersby with an increasing array of goods, while a "rat war" raged, with children incentivized to exterminate the vermin. Even the political landscape echoed this dichotomy, with the conservative King Oscar II resisting democratic reforms while the populace clamored for voting rights.
Paragraph 2: Capturing the Zeitgeist
The exhibition attempts to encapsulate the fin de siècle spirit, a period often associated with melancholic resignation and apprehension towards the encroaching unknown. Some viewed the rapid societal changes as signs of decay, while others felt alienated by the perceived vulgarity of modernity. The flaneur, a detached observer wandering the urban landscape, became a symbolic figure of this era. The exhibition’s opening room, designed to resemble a typical bourgeois home of the time, immerses the visitor in this bygone era. Dimly lit and filled with period furnishings, artifacts, and ephemera, the space embodies the cluttered aesthetic of the time. Walls covered in posters, advertisements, maps, photographs, and paintings contribute to the immersive experience. However, this abundance can also feel overwhelming, making it challenging to discern a clear narrative amidst the profusion of objects.
Paragraph 3: Navigating the Urban Jungle
Despite the potential for sensory overload, several recurring themes provide a framework for navigating the exhibition’s vast collection. One prominent theme is Stockholm’s dramatic expansion, fueled by population growth and migration. The exhibition traces the city’s development, highlighting the influx of people from rural areas seeking work, which led to overcrowding and a severe housing shortage. The construction of the Central Station in 1871 marked a pivotal moment, solidifying Stockholm’s role as a major transportation hub. This period also witnessed a renaming of city districts, reflecting a desire to shed provincial connotations and embrace a more cosmopolitan image. Ladugårdslandet, for instance, became Östermalm, just one example of the rebranding effort that aimed to erase the city’s more rustic past.
Paragraph 4: Building a Modern Metropolis
Carl Lindhagen, a jurist and urban planner, envisioned a grander Stockholm, proposing broad boulevards and sweeping changes to modernize the city’s infrastructure. While not all his plans came to fruition, Stockholm underwent a period of explosive growth. Construction boomed, with new buildings rising amidst the demolition of older structures, including even prominent landmarks like Gustav III’s opera house and the Hotel Rydberg. This building boom, fueled by unregulated land speculation, transformed vast swathes of Vasastan, Norrmalm, and Södermalm, with stone tenements providing housing for working-class families. The exhibition could have delved deeper into this period of intense construction and the social and economic forces that shaped it.
Paragraph 5: The Darker Side of Progress
While the exhibition celebrates Stockholm’s transformation, it also acknowledges the darker side of progress. The influx of workers brought its share of social problems, including poverty, crime, and unsanitary living conditions. "Wild" gangs of boys roamed the streets, factory conditions were often deplorable, and suicide rates were high. Alcoholism and prostitution were rampant, and women suspected of "loose morals" were subjected to compulsory examinations for venereal diseases. The exhibition highlights this through displays of police records and medical instruments, offering a glimpse into the gritty reality of life for many in this era. The rise of advertising is also documented, showcasing the growth of newspapers and the emergence of advertising agencies like Gumaelius, founded by the enterprising Sofia Gumaelius, one of several notable Stockholmers profiled in the exhibition.
Paragraph 6: Capturing the Human Story
The work of artist Erik Tryggelin provides a poignant human dimension to the exhibition. Growing up in the staff quarters of the Rörstrand porcelain factory, Tryggelin dedicated his life to capturing the lives of ordinary Stockholmers through sketches, drawings, and photographs. His evocative images, drawn from the museum’s collection, depict a diverse cross-section of society, from elegant ladies strolling across Norrbro to dockworkers in Södermalm and children at play. These images serve as invaluable historical documents, offering intimate glimpses into the everyday lives of people from different social strata. While the exhibition ambitiously tackles a broad range of themes, from urban planning to social issues and the lives of individuals, the inclusion of Tryggelin’s work provides a powerful and moving connection to the human story at the heart of Stockholm’s transformation.
