July 6 - Happy Birthday, Sophie Adlersparre

Posted on July 6, 2021

Key Points

Founder and editor of the first women’s magazine in all of Scandinavia!

One of the first two women to be a member of a state committee in Sweden!

Pioneer of women’s rights!

Sophie Adlersparre was all that and more.

The “and more” surely includes being quite the painter!
This portrait of Sophie Adlersparre is actually a self-portrait,
painted by the writer / editor / activist herself!

A lot of times it is people born with privileges of rank and/or wealth that end up having the time and energy to work on social justice issues. Adlersparre – who was born in Sweden on this date in 1823 – was the daughter of a baron who was also a lieutenant colonel, and she married a nobleman who was a commander. Her husband had five children from a previous marriage, so Adlersparre had an instant family; Sophie’s husband, it turned out, was very supportive of all her causes.

One of her big causes was helping women to become educated in fields where they could work as professionals – and therefore gain financial freedom!

She organized evening classes for women, created a successful employment agency, and prevailed upon the Swedish parliament to allow women to study at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts as equals with men. She started a magazine (as reported above), organized a free library for women, and helped found the Swedish Red Cross. She even co-founded and served as the chairperson of an organization that helped women gain more money and status from their handicraft work.

Above, woven pillow cover.
Below, traditional Dala horse.

Here is a taste of Adlersparre’s wisdom:

“Women need work, and work needs women.”

It is possible that Adlersparre’s work to raise the status of
handicrafts helped give rise to the Swedish Arts and Crafts
Movement in the late 1800s and the early 1900s!