Overshadowed by the high-profile splendors of Italy and France, and studied and chronicled almost entirely in Swedish, Sweden's majestic palaces, stately manor houses, and tapestry-like gardens have seemed as remote as the Nordic country itself. On the pages of Classical Swedish Architecture and Interiors 1650-1840, meet such pathbreakers as Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and Carl Hårleman and the ambitious, discerning monarchs and aristocrats who commissioned their work. Learn how Sweden's architects and designers mined antique and contemporary southern Europe for styles, techniques, and even artisans; how such marvels as the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Drottningholm, and King Gustav III's beloved Haga took shape and acquired their uniquely Swedish stamp. Step into the rich interiors where Sweden's kings and their consorts received state visitors, stored and displayed treasures, wrote letters and studied science, and laid their heads to sleep.

The path of visitors to Sweden-scholars and laymen, travelers and armchair explorers alike-will be forever changed and expanded by this book. Stops at the more familiar sites will be informed with knowledge of the who, when, why, and how of each antechamber and pavilion, while the lucid text and abundance of brilliant photographs, complementing such historical documents as engravings and architectural renderings, will open roads to rural corners and coastal retreats where Swedish royals, nobles, and privileged commoners basked in the calm of their country mansions and warmed themselves before their handsome Swedish tile stoves.