Sven Richard Bergh (1858–1919) was a Swedish painter, art critic, and museum manager. He received training at the Stockholm Art Academy and later studied in Paris with Jean-Paul Laurens and Filippo Colarossi. Despite his time in France, Bergh remained largely uninfluenced by Impressionism, instead preferring Naturalism. He was also actively involved with the Konstnärsförbundet.
Bergh rejected the practice of creating landscapes *en plein air*, favoring the Naturalism exemplified by painters such as Jules Bastien-Lepage. In an 1896 essay, he introduced the term *stämningsmåleri*, or "mood painting," to describe a new subjective style of painting that emerged towards the *fin de siècle*, marking a departure from realism. His oeuvre frequently included Swedish landscapes and portraits.
From 1915 until his death, Bergh served as the director of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. His artistic development incorporated elements of national romanticism and symbolism, aligning with his theoretical contributions to a more subjective approach in painting.
