Venny Soldan-Brofelt’s painting ”Pietists” is a variation on a painting in the Ateneum’s collections in Helsinki that bears the same name. She painted this later version at the request of her husband, the writer Juhani Aho’s relatives.
The original version at the Ateneum was painted in 1898 and this variation is of a slightly later date.
Soldan-Brofelt made several versions of some of her big paintings with folk motifs, probably due to the great popularity and significance of these works. The original “Pietists”, at the Ateneum, is regarded as the central work in Soldan-Brofelt’s production and the work attracted a great deal of attention when it was first exhibited. The subject is closely related to the writings of Juhani Aho on the subject of Pietism. Venny Soldan-Brofelt painted the original version of “Pietists” in her father-in-law’s study at the vicarage in Iisalmi.

Riitta Konttinen

We would like to thank Professor Riitta Konttinen for all the information concerning this painting.