In his youth, Carl Mikael Gunne was a student to Herman Osslund. Later, during his travels in France, he was inspired by the French new realism.
His debut exhibition was held in Stockholm in 1913 and he was mostly known as a landscape and portrait painter. Among his work, portraits of King Gustav V, king Gustav VI Adolf, prince Eugen, prince Bertil, bishop John Cullberg, Jussi Björling and painter Martin Åberg are especially worth mentioning.
Gunne was a member of the art group “Optimisterna”, (the Optimists) and featured in exhibitions in both Sweden and abroad. He his represented at the National Museum, at Waldemarsudde and other Swedish museums.
Abroad he is represented in Helsinki, Antwerpen and Budapest and in the World Bank in Washington. His professional life stood in the beginning on two legs, while he alongside his artwork also studied at the university of Uppsala and in 1915 became a Bachelor of Arts. Five years later he graduated as Bachelor of Laws. The following year he also received a Degree of Licentiate of Arts. The law studies were a way into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an attaché, where he stayed for a short while. In 1921 he became the administrative assistant at the National museum and in 1932-1937 he was the head of the department for modern arts. He was also in 1923-1924 the secretary for the Board for supporting artistic activities in Sweden.
