Evening star., 1952-06-08
Art News
Finnish Art Show
At National Museum
By Florence S. Berrymon

BY Florence ). beFrymon
The first comprehensive ex-
hibition of Finnish fine and
applied arts to be presented in
the United States, opened last
Thursday in the foyer Of the
Natural History Building,
Smithsonian Institution, under
auspices of the Legation of Fin
land. It is sponsored jointly
by the Fine Arts Academy and
the Finnish American Society
of Helsinki in Finland. and in
the United States by the Uni
versity Of Minnesota. It is an
impressive display Of work in
many media, which was shown
last month in Minneapolis, at
the Walker Art Center.
An illustrated catalogue lists
nearly $50 works. gives bio
graphical data on every artist,
an introduction, devoted chiefly
to painting, with critical ap-
praisals of the works shown.
More than so paintings are on
view, including q group Of eight
by the late Helene Schjerfbeck,
the earliest artist represented
(who died in 1916 aged 84) and
the only one who has had solo
exhibitions here and in Canada.
Nine painters have groups Of
five or more works each, an ar
rangeme11t which gives us q
well-rounded idea of the achieve
ment of q few of Finland's out
standing artists of the past half
century, more effective than a
sampling Of a much larger
number.
Akseli Gallen- -Kallela 1885,
1931), who studied in Paris. was
a naturalistic painter who de-
picted the people. landscape and
characteristic activities of Fin
land. Among his works shown
are such diverse types as por-
traits of a gypsy. the lovely
actress Ida Allberg and bathers
in the Sauna"
BY his pupil Hugo Simberg
are several indisputably Fin
nish faces, full of character
and subtle racial qualities in
bone construction, and a few
paintings of the Dance OF
Death" There are fresh. high
keyed impressionistic paintings
by Magnus Enkell and William
Lonnberg.
Works Of ScuIptors
Visitors to the exhibition are
greeted at the entrance by
heroic bronze statue of Paavo
Nurmi, f1eet-footed sensation of
the Olympics some years ago.
This and several large granite
figures were made by Waino
Aaltonen, one of Finland's
greatest sculptors who. with his
wife, came to Washington for
the shows opening.
Kalervo Kallio, Finnish sculp-
tor. who has lived here since
1949, is showing a collection of
his portrait heads. upon special
invitation of the Smithsonian
Institution. Among them are
Vice President Barkley, former
President Hoover, the late
James Forrestal, the Finnish
Minister, Johan Nykopp. and
John L. Lewis.
In the graphic arts display
of 40 items. are woodcuts, etch-
ings, Autographs. monotypes
and serigraphs.
A feature of the collection
of applied arts is a group of
18th century long-haired rugs
from different regions in Fin
land, for comparison with ex-
ampleS Dy Leading contemporary
designers of textiles.
Finnish glass and ceramics
are already familiar to many
Americans, having been intro
duced in recent years. by the
Museum of Modern Art. New
York City, and other leading
museums. Ceramic sculptures.
tableware and kindred items
have also been available in a
shop in New York City, estab-
liShed as a center for Finnish
applied arts.
It is in these last categories
that Finnish artistry seems
most different from our own.