Albert Edelfelt
"TACKLING A SHIP".
Sign. Watercolour 33x24,5 cm.
More information
Final study for composition, executed as a commission-work for art dealer Roland Knoedler in New York in the autumn of 1887. Edelfelt rented a studio in the so called Villa Jansson in Siltasaari, Helsinki. The same room and window is recognizable in the painting Ompelijattaria (Seamstresses). See Hintze Edelfelt catalogue no 433; Huvudstadsbladet 13.11.1887.
Designer
Albert Edelfelt is considered one of Finland's greatest artists of the 19th century. After studying in Antwerp and Paris, he settled in France, where he received several exhibition medals and was honored with the Legion of Honour, notably for the famous portrait of Pasteur. He was also summoned by Alexander III to St. Petersburg to portray the Tsar's children. Edelfelt often returned to themes from Finnish history, such as his illustrations for 'The Tales of Ensign Stål.'
Edelfelt's works display an artistic breadth that ranges from everyday life in the Finnish archipelago to prestigious society portraits and historical paintings. In his depictions of everyday life, he managed to merge traditional academic painting with the new techniques of plein air painting, which achieved great success in France. The painting 'The Funeral of a Child' was awarded a third-class medal at the annual Salon in Paris in 1880, marking the most significant international success for Finnish painting at the time.
Albert Edelfelt is primarily represented in Ateneum in Helsinki, but also in the National Museum in Stockholm, as well as museums in Copenhagen, Luxembourg, and Paris.
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