Ellen Thesleff was a Finnish artist with a feeling for lyricism. Her painting "The Echo" shows a young woman calling out in the morning or evening.
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| Ellen Thesleff (Finnish 1869-1954) The Echo |
Thesleff studied in Paris at Académie Colarossi. Her portraits (self-portrait above) evoke the atmospheric lighting and edges reminiscent of Eugène Carrière. The photo of her is from 1890.
Thesleff is featured in a new book Women Artists in Paris, 1850-1900
from Yale University Press.
from Yale University Press. Here's a preview of the book (Link to video) and it's available on Amazon.
The book is a catalog for an exhibition called Her Paris: Women Artists in Paris, 1850-1900
, which also includes Cassat, Nourse, Beaux, Bonheur, Morisot, and many more. The show just finished in Denver, but it will travel on to:The Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky (February 17–May 13, 2018)
The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts (June 9–September 3, 2018).
I saw the show when I was in Denver. If you would like some close ups, let me know.
ReplyDeleteThis was on of my favorite pieces in the show. Those spots above the horizon weren't there, they must be subsequently restored damage.
ReplyDeleteLovely painting. Happy to learn the spots in the sky were subsequently restored. I’m guessingThesleff’s haircut in the photograph — it might have been around 1900 — must have been a bold and unusual look for the time; something which perhaps required a certain self-assurance and courage.
ReplyDeleteOh, that sky. That sky. It is so radiant.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I wondered about the haircut, too. Was it deliberate or had she been ill and lost it as sometimes happens even now but more so back then. Beautiful painting!
ReplyDeletePainter of Parks, I'd be grateful for closeups.
ReplyDeletePhillip, that's good to know. I thought they might be birds, but that didn't quite compute.
Steve, Yes, I can't get over how contemporary she looks.
Patricia, I wish I knew more about her life story.
Susan, I've seen other repros that have less chroma. Can't wait to the original.
I always thought the model was calling for cows, given the rural setting. :D
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that Thesleff sometimes dressed in men's clothes, so the haircut would be intentional and not due to sickness. There came out a new biography last year (in Finnish) but I haven't yet checked it out.
Thanks, for posting about the show, wish it was coming to the west coast.
ReplyDelete