It is midnight on March 16, 1792. A masquerade ball is underway, with nobles clad in mysterious masks swarming around the grand ballroom of the Royal Opera House, the clamour of chat and laughter filling the air. One man stands out with his shining silver star of the Royal Order glowing on his cape. Suddenly, a gunshot rings out through the room, the man falls to the ground and panic ensues. King Gustav III has been shot by his political rivals, assassinated for championing the rights and freedom of his subjects, and his belief in the liberalisation of Sweden.

To honour their beloved King, his collections were preserved in two elegant, minimally designed stone galleries in his very own palace, which allow the simple beauty of the sculptures to shine through in all their glory. A defender of the people, an ambassador of the arts and above all a brave leader, King Gustav III’s collection of sculptures is a testament to his noble reign. A great admirer of visual arts, the King travelled incognito to the land of art, Italy, to acquire his collection of ancient marble artifacts, which were presented to him by none other than Pope Pius IV himself. The sculptures remain wholly untouched from their original days, featuring classical statues of ancient greek gods in romanized style such as the peacefully snoozing little love God, Amorin, and the alluring Hermaphrodite. Today, the collection stands as a symbol of the rise of arts culture in Sweden and above all, a tribute to the revolutionary King Gustav III.