Johan Edvard Mandelberg

Johan Edvard Mandelberg (22 January 1730 – 8 January 1786), Swedish-born painter living in Denmark, was born at sea during a voyage between and Livland, Sweden.

He was born to painter Johan Edvard Mandelberg and his wife Hedvig Sophia. His father taught him to draw and paint, and he worked in his father’s workshop in Stockholm. On seeing a battle picture by Johan Philip Lembke at Drottningholm Palace, Johan became determined also to paint battle scenes. Since there was no possibility in Sweden for him to get the necessary training for his ambitions, he received financial backing from three supporters who sent him to Paris in 1752. He went to Paris by way of Copenhagen along with Norwegian-born medallionist Magnus Gustavus Arbien (1716–1760). It was in Copenhagen that he became acquainted with Carl Gustaf Pilo (1712/1713?-1793), professor at the Drawing and Painting Academy, predecessor to the Royal Danish Academy of Art (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi).

He came to Paris with good recommendations and came into the leading French art circles where he caught the attention and interest of Count Philippe de Caylus, renowned artist François Boucher, and fellow Swede Alexander Roslin (1718–1798).

He found work at François Boucher’s atelier in 1753. He was impoverished, and made small battle pictures in pen and ink, as well as copies of paintings to supplement his meager earnings.

Arbien helped Mandelburg secure financial support by contacting Pilo in Copenhagen, who then interested the Danish Legation secretary to the French Court in Paris Justitsråd Joachim Wasserschlebe, foreign minister Count Johan Hartvig Ernst Bernstorff and Adam Gottlob Moltke, and finally through them King Frederick V of Denmark. The King's support was generous, but conditional—Mandelburg would need to commit himself to Denmark and his Court.

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