Property from an Important Private Collection
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Fog at Christmas, a view from Tarvaspää
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Property from an Important Private Collection
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Pori 1865–1931 Stockholm
Fog at Christmas, a view from Tarvaspää
signed with initials, inscribed and dated lower right: agk/Joulusumu/26. XII/1912
oil on canvas
unframed: 31 x 32 cm.; 12¼ x 12⅝ in.
framed: 47.4 x 48 cm.; 18⅝ x 18⅞ in.
Anonymous sale, Helsinki, Hagelstam & Co, 28 May 2015, lot 409;
Where acquired by the present owner.
In Fog at Christmas, a view from Tarvaspää, Gallen-Kallela presents a restrained, atmospheric view of the Finnish forest in winter. A single conifer stands in the foreground, its shape softened by loose, sweeping brushstrokes that blend into the surrounding mist. Behind it, the contours of bare trees fade into a hazy distance, reinforcing an atmosphere of quiet suspension.
The flattened forms and stylised composition reflect the influence of continental Symbolism in its stylisation and abstraction, prioritising mood over realism. Created after his time in Africa, where his palette had brightened and his brushwork grown more expressive, this work marks a return to a more introspective approach.
The present work is included in the online catalogue raisonné of the artist's work, compiled by Georges Armaos and Irene Riihimäki, as no. AG8VKQ.
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