Akseli Gallen-Kallela

Finnish, 1865 - 1931

Akseli Gallen-Kallela was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic (illustration, below). His work is considered very important for the Finnish national identity. He changed his name from Gallén to Gallen-Kallela in 1907.

Gallen-Kallela was born Axel Waldemar Gallén in Pori, Finland in a Swedish-speaking family. His father Peter Gallén worked as police chief and lawyer. Gallen-Kallela was raised in Tyrvää. At the age of 11 he was sent to Helsinki to study at a grammar school, because his father opposed his ambition to become a painter. After his father's death in 1879, Gallen-Kallela attended drawing classes at the Finnish Art Society (1881–1884) and studied privately under Adolf von Becker.

In 1884 he moved to Paris, to study at the Académie Julian. In Paris he became friends with the Finnish painter Albert Edelfelt, the Norwegian painter Carl Dørnberger, and the Swedish writer August Strindberg. During this period he traveled back and forth between Finland and Paris.

He married Mary Slöör in 1890. The couple had three children, Impi Marjatta, Kirsti and Jorma. On their honeymoon to East Karelia, Gallen-Kallela started collecting material for his depictions of the Kalevala. This period is characterized by romantic paintings of the Kalevala, such as the Aino Myth, and by several landscape paintings, although by 1894 the influence of symbolism is heavily visible in his works.

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Kunniaristi-luonnos 2

Kunniaristi-luonnos 2 (1918-1919)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Kunniaristi-luonnos

Kunniaristi-luonnos (1918-1919)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Louis Sparre

Louis Sparre (1896)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Punakaartilainen vanki

Punakaartilainen vanki (1918)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Reino Vuolle, kaatunut jääkäri

Reino Vuolle, kaatunut jääkäri (1918)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Sketch of Edvin Bertel Rosenbröijer, Adjutant for Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Sketch of Edvin Bertel Rosenbröijer, Adjutant for Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1918)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, sketch. Väinämöinen and eagle ‘Kokkolintu’.

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, sketch. Väinämöinen and eagle ‘Kokkolintu’. (between 1906 and 1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle, sketch with signature.

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle, sketch with signature. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle (1906-1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle

The Great Kalevala, Poem II, Väinämöinen and Eagle (1906-1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, horses

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, horses (1906-1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch for the opening vignette.

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch for the opening vignette. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch, horses and riders meet

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch, horses and riders meet (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch.

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch.

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch. Horses.

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch. Horses. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch

The Great Kalevala, Poem III, sketch (between 1906 and 1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, Poem XXIII, sketch

The Great Kalevala, Poem XXIII, sketch (1906-1930)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, sketch for ornaments.

The Great Kalevala, sketch for ornaments. (1927)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, sketch for page 1, skiers meet.

The Great Kalevala, sketch for page 1, skiers meet. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, sketch for page 1, skiers meet.

The Great Kalevala, sketch for page 1, skiers meet. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala, sketch. Skiers.

The Great Kalevala, sketch. Skiers. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala; Poem II,sketch

The Great Kalevala; Poem II,sketch (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala; Poem II,sketch

The Great Kalevala; Poem II,sketch (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

The Great Kalevala; Rune singers. A sketch of the others hands and face.

The Great Kalevala; Rune singers. A sketch of the others hands and face. (1925)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma (1914)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma (1914)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma

Venetsian biennaalin ripustussuunnitelma (1914)

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Finnish, 1865 - 1931)

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