As a travel photographer, I am fascinated by architectural details. While aiming my camera toward this carving of a man with a winged hat above the portal of Skeppsbron 8 – the waterfront street of Old Town – the front door opened. Out walked Kurt Hahmann, the building’s owner. This delightful gentleman explained the bust was Jonas Alströmer, a prominent 18th century importer, businessman and co-founder of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Alströmer is best known for introducing potatoes into Sweden. This red sandstone building was designed by Erik Josephson in 1901. He was a Swedish architect who specialized in banks such as this previous headquarters of the Målardalen provincial Enskilda Bank.
