Rev. Ericus Bjork

Christina Stalcup Bjork

First Portraits Painted in Delaware Attributed to Hesselius
on exhibition at the Delaware History Museum

Gustavus Hesselius from Sweden was the first professionally trained portrait artist to arrive in Delaware in the early 1700s.  When he came to Delaware, he was acquainted with Reverend Ericus Bjork the pastor of Wilmington's Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church.  Portraits (ca. 1712-1714) of Rev. Bjork and his wife Christina Stalcup Bjork are in the collections of the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

These portraits are attributed to Gustavus Hesselius as some of his earliest works completed in America.  In conjunction with the 365th anniversary of the landing of the Swedes in Delaware, the portraits were on exhibition at the Delaware History Museum from April 7 through April 26, 2003.

The Historical Society of Delaware coordinated this exhibition with the Swedish Colonial Society (SCS).  The SCS funded the restoration of the portraits as well as made the loan arrangements with the Nordic Museum.

Along with the portraits of Rev. and Mrs. Bjork, the exhibition entitled Portraits of New Sweden at the Historical Society of Delaware included portraits of King Gustavus and Queen Christina of Sweden.  Ledger books containing the early history of Old Swedes Church, early images of Old Swedes Church, and artifacts from the 300th and 350th anniversary of the arrival of the Swedes in Delaware were also included in this exhibition.

Queen Christina of Sweden

King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden