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List of the 6 Most Famous Paintings by Sofie Ribbing
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 6 works by Sofie Ribbing in our catalogue
Summary
The most widely known painting by Sofie Ribbing is Studiehode (1860), in the collection of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo. The next entries are Self-portrait (1865) and Painting (1894). The catalogue documents 6 works by Sofie Ribbing; the 6 entries below are the best known, listed in rank order with date, holding museum and description.
1835 – 1894, Adelöv parish
Most works: National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Sofie Ribbing: the 10 principal paintings
Sofie Ribbing: holding museums
The 4 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Sofie Ribbing | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design |
Oslo | 3 | Studiehode, Painting, Italiensk pike |
 Vasari Corridor |
Florence | 1 | Self-portrait |
 National Portrait Gallery of Sweden |
Strängnäs | 1 | Helena Roed (1843-1926), dansk, verksam i Sverige, författare, kulturskribent, g.m. professorn i estetik Carl Rupert Nyblom |
 Gothenburg Museum of Art |
Gothenburg | 1 | Boys drawing |
Sofie Ribbing: principal paintings by year
The dated works of Sofie Ribbing on this page extend from 1860 to 1894, a period of 35 years, presented year by year.
Works per year
Select a year to display its principal paintings.
Sofie Ribbing's paintings: reference questions
Which painting by Sofie Ribbing is the most widely known?Display the answer
Studiehode (1860), National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo. The following entries are Self-portrait (1865) and Painting (1894).
What was the age of Sofie Ribbing when Studiehode was painted?Display the answer
25 years: Sofie Ribbing was born in 1835 and Studiehode is dated 1860.
How many works by Sofie Ribbing are documented?Display the answer
The catalogue records 6 works by Sofie Ribbing, dated between 1860 and 1894.
Which museums hold the best-known paintings of Sofie Ribbing?Display the answer
Principally in National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Oslo), Vasari Corridor (Florence) and National Portrait Gallery of Sweden (Strängnäs). The museum table above gives the full distribution.
Which are the earliest and latest dated works by Sofie Ribbing on this list?Display the answer
The earliest dated work listed here is Studiehode (1860); the latest is Painting (1894).
Which works by Sofie Ribbing are in the collection of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design?Display the answer
Studiehode, Painting and Italiensk pike are among the 3 works on this page in the collection of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo.
Sofie Ribbing: biographical notes
A Life of Movement and Light
The Södraholm estate in Adelöv parish holds the beginning of Sofie Amalia Ribbing’s story. Born in 1835 to Swedish nobility, her early years are framed by the Bråneryd estate near Jönköping. Her father, Per Arvid Ribbing, manages the local district court, while her mother, Karolina Augusta Ehrencrona, brings a lineage of high standing. This aristocratic upbringing provides more than just status; it offers an early immersion in fine painting collections that shape her developing eye.
The trajectory shifts in 1850. The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm becomes her first formal training ground. But the borders of Sweden are too small for her ambitions. She moves toward the Düsseldorf Academy, seeking the guidance of Karl Ferdinand Sohn. This transition marks a departure from local tradition toward the influential Düsseldorf School style. Her education expands through the streets of Paris, where she works under Jean-BT-Ange Tissier, and into Brussels, studying under Louis Gallait.
The Mastery of Portraiture and Genre
Her brush finds its strength in the intimate and the domestic. She specializes in portraits and genre scenes, often capturing families within their private settings. In 1864, a specific moment of creation emerges: Ritande Gossar, or Boys Drawing. The work gains immediate recognition, eventually being acquired by the Gothenburg Art Association for a record sum. This painting later earns a place in the Europeana 280 project, representing Swedish art to a broader European audience.
Her technical development follows a path of geographic expansion. As she moves through Copenhagen, London, and Rome, her subject matter adapts to the light and people she encounters. Her portfolio includes:
- Portrait of Helena Nyblom, held at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.
- Self-portrait in the Uffizi, a reflection of her time in Italy.
- Den övergivna, completed in 1869.
- A Little Chicken Girl, from 1888.
A European Presence
The map of her life is a series of studio visits and exhibitions. She establishes herself in the Brussels Salon in 1866 and participates in the Industrial Exposition of Stockholm that same year. Her presence is felt in London’s Royal Academy during the 1870s, and she displays works in Copenhagen and Amsterdam. These are not merely travels; they are professional engagements that place her work in the hands of major institutions.
Her final chapters unfold far from her Swedish birthplace. She spends time in Rome, sharing the company of fellow artists like Agnes Börjesson. The end comes in 1894 in Christiania, now Oslo, while she is visiting Norway. Her legacy remains anchored in the permanent collections of the Uffizi Gallery, the National Gallery of Norway, and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.