Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela, born Axel Waldemar Gallén, was a Finnish Symbolist and Romantic artist who lived from 1865 to 1931. He is most known for his illustrations of The Kalevala, the Finnish Epic, which helped give Finland a national identity and fed the nationalistic desire to be independent from Russia.
The Kalevala comprises mythology and folklore from both Finnish and Karelian origins that helped fuel Finnish national identity which ultimately led to the creation of the country of Finland in 1917. Karelia was historically part of eastern Finland, but today is shared by Finland and Russia.
Though Gallen-Kallela knew he wanted to be an artist from a young age, his father, a lawyer and police chief, did not approve. It was only with his father’s death in 1879, that Gallen-Kallela was able to pursue his art and he began his first formal art lessons at the Finnish Art Society. In 1884, Gallen-Kallela attended art school in Paris where he befriended many other young Nordic artists.
On his honeymoon to East Karelia in 1890, Gallen-Kallela began acquiring material for illustrating The Kalevala. In 1894, he moved to Berlin and became interested in the works of Edvard Munch and the Symbolism art movement. His work was shown at the Paris Exposition in 1901, and Gallen-Kallela was received as the preeminent Finnish artist.
Though the countryside of Finland remained as his main inspiration, Gallen-Kallela and his family moved around a lot, including long term stays in both Kenya and the United States. He returned home in 1926. Gallen-Kallela died in 1931 at 65 years old from pneumonia.
Back to the Artists page.
You can learn about different art movements here.
