Bank of Finland Akseli Gallen-Kallela The Aino TripTych Text Tuija Wahlroos Akseli Gallen-Kallela painted the first version of his Aino triptych in Paris in 1888 and 1889. In this brochure, Tuija Wahlroos, Director of the Gallen-Kallela Museum, discusses the birth of the Aino Myth, Triptych in Paris, sketches the background to the Aino myth and explains the differences between the Aino triptych in the Bank of Finland and the second version included in the collections of the Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki. 2 Contents The Aino TripTych by Akseli GAllen-kAllelA 4 A combination of finnish idenTiTy And bohemiAn lifesTyle 6 Why Aino? 8 The bAckGround To The Aino myTh 10 Aino, illusTrated 12 Aino in The bAnk of finlAnd collecTions 16 Photo: Peter Mickelsson. The Aino TripTych by Akseli GAllen-kAllelA The artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela Participation in European art life the legend of Aino and Väinämöinen. (1865–1931, until 1907 Axel was a matter of course for Gallen- The tragic poem at the start of the Gallén) is one of the central figures Kallela and his contemporaries. Kalevala epic starts with a singing of Finnish art. In addition to Gallen-Kallela studied art in Paris. competition between the old and depictions of nature and the Moreover, he took part in wise Väinämöinen and the young common people, he is known as the exhibitions – particularly in France, Joukahainen, in which Väinämöinen illustrator of themes taken from the Germany and Hungary – not to comes out as the winner. Having lost Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. mention having his own stand at the singing match and threatened In addition to painting, he also both the Venice biennale in 1914 with death, Joukahainen, in his made a contribution to graphic art, and the Panama-Pacific international despair, promises his sister Aino in applied art and architecture in exposition in San Francisco in 1915. marriage to Väinämöinen in ex- Finland. Also central to the artist’s His willingness to try new things change for his life. Aino’s mother, production are the works created in and his impulsiveness found an too, takes a favourable attitude Paris in the 1880s, model studies, outlet not only in experimentation towards this promise, but it is a streetscapes and portraits, and later in different fields of art, but also in shock to Aino. Driven to desperation, on the symbolist period of the his hunger for the exotic and long she runs to the lake shore and takes 1890s. National themes and Gallen- journeys in Africa (1909–1910) and off her clothes to go swimming with Kallela’s desire to develop Finland’s the United States (1923–1926). the maids of Vellamo. She sits on a art and cultural life merged with Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s first stone, which sinks, and she drowns. international influences and major painting with a Kalevala She does not die, however, but contacts. motif represents the Aino myth, continues her life as a maid of 4 Vellamo – a mermaid. Later, when France, and combining topical old art student already displayed fishing, Väinämöinen catches Aino international trends and painting outlines of familiar Kalevala – landing her as a perch in his techniques with Finnish themes. characters and events. The ad- boat. When Väinämöinen does not A devoted realist, Gallen-Kallela venturers who appealed to a young recognise his dead fiancée, she was also a romantic interested in man’s imagination, Lemmin käinen escapes from the boat in the form ancient times, myths and fairy and Kullervo, were accompanied of a woman, mocking the old man. tales who wanted to interpret the by depictions of Aino, whom the Gallen-Kallela ended up Kalevala through Finnish everyday artist sometimes sketched as a painting the multi-layered poem life. The artist, planning his return maid falling into the water with a as a three-part triptych. Two final to Finland, was near achieving his splash or wrenching jewels from versions of the work are known to aim of courageously raising the her bosom, sometimes in a posture exist, of which the first reached level and content of art in our where she is taken aback by the completion in Paris in 1889 and country: ‘I can always reach the courting of an unexpected suitor. currently belongs to the Bank of point where my country will be Simultaneously, we witness the Finland collections. The second content with my achievements, but presence of other sentimental version, completed in Finland in my ambition reaches much farther. topics, with mermaids and fairy- 1891, constitutes part of the Everything or nothing, first or last. tale creatures. A parallel can be Ateneum Art Museum collections. That is the motto I want to keep easily drawn between the myths in The Aino triptych, finalised in for the rest of my life.’ the folk poetry of the Kalevala and Paris, was the young Axel Gallén’s The illustration of the Kalevala the fantasy world of legends and main work, his artistic manifesto became a key objective for Gallen- fairy tales. of the time, reflecting the aims Kallela at an early stage. The matured during his studies in sketch books of the 16–17-year- 5 A CombinAtion of finnish identity And bohemiAn LifestyLe Having commenced his art studies utility articles and clothing. father, who had taken a less than in Paris in 1884, the 19-year-old He saw the venues of the Aino favourable attitude towards the artist was caught up in the events legend as real, genuine landscapes marriage, that he was an artist of big city life and new influences. that could be localised in terms who should be taken seriously. Alongside his studies at the of natural history and Académie Julian and his depictions ethnographic detail. For this of bohemian lifestyle, which re- purpose, the artist even took flected the animation of café and perch skins with him to Paris in street life, he showed an increasing order to achieve a truly realistic interest in, and desire to focus on, depiction. national subjects, of which the Determined realisation of the illustration of Aino became one of theme began in 1888, continuing his most central aims. During his until spring 1889. Secretly engaged holidays Gallen-Kallela painted to Mary Slöör in Finland in the Finnish landscape and its summer 1887, Gallen-Kallela did inhabitants, while at the same not allow himself a return to his time practising for a major homeland until the main work of illusory work. In line with the his artistic career to date was doctrines of realism, Gallen- ready. He reckoned that, with the The Aino triptych in Kuparikanta hall, Kallela made observations of the attention attracted by the Aino Bank of Finland. everyday environment: dwellings, triptych, he could prove to Mary’s © Bank of Finland. Photo: Peter Mickelsson. 6 7 Why Aino? There is no straightforward and various folk legends. Gallen-Kallela’s mother, answer to the question why Throughout the 1880s, dramatic Mathilda Gallén, residing in Gallen-Kallela chose the tragic paintings based on such motifs Finland, predicted success for her story of Aino as the opening work reflected a stronger interest in a son and Aino: ‘The Aino legend of his Kalevala themes. However, romanticising approach towards will be his great success, but the the contents of his art studies, the the past and a greater idealisation forests and lakes of his home prevailing spirit of the times and of early Christianity and the country will inspire him to his personal preferences make it Middle Ages. correctly understand the legend. possible to identify reasons for the The Aino triptych enabled The Aino in the legend must be the implementation of this motif. Gallen-Kallela to draw on what he Finnish Juno of art.’ In comparing Depiction of the human body had learnt and to take account of Aino with the mythic protectress took centre stage in his studies at the topical currents of the art of women in antiquity, Mathilda the Académie Julian. The aim was world. The three-part triptych Gallén came to refer to the to learn to master anatomic form borrowed from medieval classical origins of our Kalevala depiction by practising painting church art provided the setting for art and to parallels between the with live models. The Central scenes where Aino’s body language Kalevala epic and global European art life of that time, in combined with realistic outdoor mythological traditions. What was the heart of which Gallen-Kallela painting. The middle part of the new compared with the previous studied, knew a number of triptych in particular can be way of presenting Kalevala themes examples of mythic and fatal compared to the scenic, illusory and in our country, mainly based on women from antiquity, the Bible even sensational salon art of the time. illustrations from antiquity, was 8 the portrayal of mythological scenes through the methods of realism in a homely, even modest landscape. Aino going to swim with the maids of Vellamo. Photo: Reijo Kokko. 9 The bAckGround To The Aino myTh Aino can, with good reason, including the surrender of Aino, myth emerges from the presence be called the creation of Elias to the defeated Joukahainen. of death, hidden in the exuberance Lönnrot, the compiler of the According to the newer version, of summer. The laws of epic Kalevala. Lönnrot actually Joukahainen takes the initiative poetry drama find their fulfilment invented the name Aino, which is and offers his sister. Accordingly, in Gallen-Kallela’s illustration an adaptation of the word ‘ainoa’ the new Kalevala softens the role where two counterforces meet ‘on (only, sole). The legend of Aino is of Väinämöinen in the fate of the stage’, as complementary and not known as such in folklore, Aino.