Magnus Schjerfbeck Explained

Svante Magnus Schjerfbeck
Birth Date:	24 July 1860
Birth Place:	Jakobstad, Grand Duchy of Finland
Death Place:	Helsinki, Finland
Alma Mater:	Polytechnical Institute of Finland
Spouse:	Betty Bergh
Practice:	Board of Public Building

Magnus Schjerfbeck (24 July 1860 — 8 May 1933)^[1] was a Finnish architect and architectural historian.^[2]

Education

Schjerfbeck studied at the Polytechnical Institute of Finland (later Helsinki University of Technology, now part of Aalto University, graduating in 1881.^[3]

Career

He worked in the Board of Public Building (Yleisten rakennusten ylihallitus; later Rakennushallitus, now Senate Properties) for most of his career, including as their lead architect from 1914 to 1926. In that role, Schjerfbeck made a significant contribution to the design and construction of public buildings of early 20th-century Finland.

Works

His more notable works and projects include:

• The Scientific Societies' Building (Tieteellisten seurain talo) in Helsinki, now housing the Museum of Finnish Architecture
• Hospitals and university clinics in e.g. Helsinki, Oulu, Joensuu, Sortavala, Kajaani, Tampere, Kuopio and Vyborg
• Alexander III's fishing lodge at Langinkoski
• Restoration of Turku Cathedral
• Restoration of the castles at Raseborg, Kastelhom and Käkisalmi

Artistic family

Schjerfbeck taught drawing and composition at the Central School of Industrial Design (Taideteollisuuskeskuskoulu; now part of Aalto University) for many years.

His sister was the painter Helene Schjerfbeck.

His daughter, (1901-1975), was also a painter.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Schjerfbeck, Magnus . Uppslagsverket.fi . 5 July 2021 . sv.
2. Web site: Schjerfbeck, Magnus (1860-1933) . Kansallisbiografia.fi . National Biography of Finland . 5 July 2021 . fi.
3. Book: Nordisk Familjebok, vol. 24 . 1916 . 1063–1064 . Uggleupplagan . 5 July 2021 . sv.