The Artists’ model in Sweden is a relatively unexplored topic. This study applies a discourse analytical approach to the figure of the artists’ model, based in Foucaultian thought, in order to investigate the discourse surrounding the model in Sweden during the period 1880 – 1899. The study poses the following questions: How does the artists' model appear and what themes can be identified in selected text from Swedish newspapers? How does the model appear in selected visual works and how does that relate to the model in popular culture? How does the model appear in material from the Academy of fine arts, how does this relate to the model in popular culture and what conclusions can be drawn concerning their life and working conditions? What discursive tendencies surrounding the model can be identified and how does conceptions of class, gender and ethnicity impact the model in the discourse? The investigated material is serialised novels and short stories in newspapers, visual depictions of models in art and their reception, as well as archival material from the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. Additional methods being used is close reading and thematic analysis.  The study concludes that the model in Sweden belongs to a wider international discourse, stereotypes of models in English, German and French context appears in Sweden, due to the international nature of both the art and publishing worlds. Models are defined by contemporary conceptions of ethnicity, gender, and age. A clear discursive tendency constructs the model as female and the artist as male. The relationship between them is often presented as romantic or sexual in nature. An opposing tendency, often presented by writers involved in the art world, constructs the artist as distant and disinterested, with an aesthetic gaze, and the model as objectified non-woman, their relationship that of working professionals. The study also argues that no particular concept of the Swedish model existed, models were more frequently conceived of as Italian or Parisian in Swedish discourse.

This thesis is about two Swedish artists named Julia Beck (1852–1935) and Maj Bring (1880–1971). The idea was to see what kind of differences there were between these two Swedish female artists. They both studied at the Swedish Art academy and both had very successful careers, though they belong to different generations of artist. The first question to be answered, was is if you could see any similarities or differences in their education and career. The other question in this thesis was how the female art was perceived during the different art exhibitions which Julia Beck or Maj Bring participated in. Could you see if the art were perceived and judged differently due to, they being female artist? And could you see if there were any kind of resistance towards them as artists or towards their art and if so, how did it express itself? To answer that question the analysis is based on art exhibit reviews with a theory based on a gender perspective and of Linda Nochlins essay Why have there been no great women artists? This to help with looking after what kind of social barriers or resistance is visible in these art critics reviews.                                                                  The results of the biographical comparison showed many similarities and some differences. Such as them both studying in Paris after their education in the Swedish Art academy and both frequently traveled back and forth to stay in France for as long as possible. Eventually Julia Beck moved to France and stayed there until her death. While Maj Bring lived her entire life in Sweden and started an art school in Stockholm and paused her artist career for a while. Meanwhile Julia Beck dedicated her entire life to her artistic career. In the results of the analysis, you could clearly see several kinds of resistance to both the female art and the female artists. They were very much treated differently than their male colleagues. For example, in Paris there were specific places where the female artists showed their art. The critique reviews often explained the female art with female qualities and said that female artist had specific characteristics that made them more qualified in specific areas that was thought women belonged too.