Akseli Gallen-Kallela

>Akseli Gallen-Kallela 2005-01-22T23:32:03Z 213.67.230.227 [[Image:Gallen-Kallela.jpg|thumb|right|280px|From the Kalevala, 1896]] '''Akseli Gallen-Kallela''' ([[April 26]] [[1865]] - [[March 7]] [[1931]]) was a [[Finland|Finnish]] painter who is most of all known for his illustrations of the [[Kalevala]], the [[Finland|Finnish]] national [[epic]] (''illustration, right''). He was born '''Axél Waldemar Gallén''' in [[Pori]] ([[Swedish]] ''Björneborg''), [[Finland]]. His father Peter Gallén worked as police chief and lawyer. At the age of 11 he was sent to [[Helsinki]] to study at a grammar school. He also attended drawing classes at the Finnish Art Society. In [[1884]] he moved to [[Paris]], to study at the [[Académie Julian]]. In Paris he became friends with the Finnish painter [[Albert Edelfelt]], the Norwegian painter [[Adam Dörnberger]], and the Swedish writer [[August Strindberg]]. In [[1890]] he married Mary Slöör. The couple had three children, Impi Marjatta, Kirsti and [[Jorma Gallen-Kallela|Jorma]]. On their honeymoon to [[East Karelia]], Gallen-Kallela started collecting material for his depictions of the Kalevala. For the Paris World Fair in 1900 Gallen-Kallela painted [[fresco]]es for the Finnish Pavilion. He also painted the frescoes for the Jusélius Mausoleum in Pori between 1901 and 1903. The frescoes were destroyed during [[World War II]] but later repainted by the artist's son Jorma. He officially [[finnicize]]d his name to the more Finnish sounding '''Akseli Gallen-Kallela''' in [[1907]]. In [[1918]] the regent, [[Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim|General Mannerheim]] invited Gallen-Kallela to design the flags, official decorations and uniforms for the newly independent [[Finland]]. In [[1919]] he was appointed [[aide-de-camp]] to Mannerheim. In [[1925]] he began the illustrations for his "Great Kalevala". This was still unfinished when he died in [[Stockholm]] on [[March 7]]th, [[1931]], while returning from a lecture in [[Copenhagen]]. == Paintings == * The Old Woman and the Cat (''Akka ja kissa'') ([[1885]]) * Démasquée ([[1888]]) * The Forging of the Sampo ([[1893]]) * The Defense of the [[Sampo]] ([[1895]]) * [[Lemminkäinen]]'s Mother (''Lemminkäisen äiti'') ([[1897]]) * The Aino triptych ([[1891]]) * [[Kullervo]]'s Curse (''Kullervon kirous'') ([[1899]]) [[Category:1865 births|Gallen-Kallela, Akseli]] [[Category:1931 deaths|Gallen-Kallela, Akseli]] [[Category:Finnish artists|Gallen-Kallela, Akseli]] [[es:Akseli Gallen-Kallela]] [[fr:Akseli Gallen-Kallela]] [[nl:Akseli Gallen-Kallela]] [[ro:Akseli Gallen-Kallela]] [[fi:Akseli Gallen-Kallela]]