Urban målare

Vädersolstavlan, a 1630s copy of an original painting from 1535 traditionally attributed to Urban målare.

Urban målare (Swedish: "Urban [the] painter"), actual name Urban Larsson, was a painter active in Sweden during the 16th century.

Biography

Virtually nothing is known of the life and work of Urban målare. He is traditionally attributed the original version of the painting Vädersolstavlan, today well-known through the 1630s copy hanging in the Stockholm Cathedral. The painting is depicting a halo or sun dogs display over Stockholm in 1535 and is often mentioned as the oldest topographically correct view of the Swedish capital. As the painting is generally associated with the Danube school, it is possible Urban målare got his education in Germany. Similarly, he is often attributed the painting Arvstavlan.

He is known to have worked as an official court painter for King Gustav Vasa from 1526 and is mentioned as having sold a property in the western part of Stockholm during the period 1533-1538 (Urban Målare uplåter et steenhuus wästantill).

See also

• History of Stockholm

Literature

• Göran Axel-Nilsson, (1941) "Urban målare", Sankt Eriks årsbok 1941, Samfundet S:t Erik, (Swedish)