From 8 October 2015 to 10 January 2016

Leonard Bäcksbacka (1892‒1963) founded Taidesalonki in 1915. 's oldest gallery still in operation is being exhibited this autumn in three venues: Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Helsinki City Art Museum and Taidesalonki which is currently run by Christina Bäcksbacka, PhD.

The Sinebrychoff Art Museum exhibition focuses on the history of the family enterprise and its art and antiques trade. In addition to art, various artefacts will be on display, including masterpieces of Finnish silversmiths and Bäcksbacka's Oriental acquisitions.

Leonard Bäcksbacka's interest towards contemporary had a role in the founding of the gallery. In addition to dealing in art, Bäcksbacka conducted research. He wrote books on Tyko Sallinen, Jalmari Ruokokoski, Ragnar Ekelund and Ellen Thesleff, among others. He also conducted wide research regarding silversmiths and other art handicraft. Bäcksbacka acquired art and antiques on his travels abroad. The Persian miniature displayed in the exhibition offer a perspective on Oriental imagery. They were parts of manuscripts which were broken up when European collectors started expressing interest towards them. Bäcksbacka bought the collection in Istanbul in the 1920s.

The exhibition features painters loved by the Finns, such as , Albert Edelfelt, Helene Schjerfbeck, Akseli Gallen‐Kallela and Hugo Simberg. All paintings have travelled through Taidesalonki. Some are on loan from private collections and thus rarely seen. Some belong to the Finnish National Gallery's collection.

The history of Taidesalonki has many links to the Finnish art scene and the beginning of galleries. The history behind the logo designed by artist Maria Lagorio (1893‒1979) connects the gallery to the international field influenced by Art Decó. Nowadays Taidesalonki exhibitions focus on contemporary Finnish artists.

Publication related to the exhibition: Satavuotisen toiminnan jälkiä. Taidesalonki 1915−2015. Spår av en hundraårig verksamhet. Konstsalongen 1915−2015. Edited by: Christina Bäcksbacka, Sanna Tuulikangas. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, Helsinki. 2015.

Guided tours: Saturdays at 2 p.m. in Finnish, the first Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m. in Swedish. Prebooked guided tours: Mon‒Fri from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tel. +358 (0)294 500 500, [email protected]

Bulevardi 40, 00120 Helsinki, tel. +358 (0)294 500 460, www.siff.fi