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Pekka Halonen

(Finland, 1865-1933)
Pekka Halonen
(Finland, 1865-1933)

PEKKA HALONEN, THE FIRST SNOW.

Sign. 1902. Oil on canvas 96,5x62,5 cm. The frame is made by the artist

A conservation of the painting was executed at Ateneum in 1998.

Provenance

The painting is a gift from the artist to the present owner´s relative; thence by descent.

Exhibitions

"Pekka Halonen-the master in Finnish landscape painting", Retretti Art Centre, Punkaharju, 26.6 -8.8.1982.
Pekka Halonen, Ateneum-Finnish National Gallery, 7.3.-24.8.2008.
"Lunta ja Kirsikankukkia"- Japonism in the art of Pekka Halonen and his coevals, the Halosenniemi museum, 27.5.-14.9.2014.
"Japanomania in the North", Ateneum-Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki, 18.2-15.5.2016.

Literature

Outi Hämäläinen, "Pekka Halonen", WSOY 1947, illustration nr. 52.
Aune Lindström, "Pekka Halonen-Elämä ja teokset", WSOY 1957, illustrated on p.171, list of works nr. 261.
Pekka Halonen, Ateneum-Finnish National Gallery 2008, nr.138, illustrated on p.24.

More information

Pekka Halonen painted his first significant winter landscapes in 1895, the same year he got married to Maija Mäkinen. The young couple spent an unforgettable winter in the snowy and beautiful landscapes of Sortavala, where Halonen got inspired to paint decorative landscapes in harsh winter conditions. Also in general, winter landscapes were popular motifs among nationalistic young artists. They were considered to be ”the finest exoticism of the North”. It is though indisputable that no other artist could capture the different nuances of snow and winter landscapes like Pekka Halonen.
In addition to the nationalistic influences also Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) and the Nabis-group had a profound impact on Halonen´s winter landscapes. This source of inspiration was born during his studying years in Paris. The base of the synthetic art of the Nabis-group was highly attached to Japanese art. Presumably Halonen got familiar with Japanese woodcuts in Gauguin´s atelier and every department store and gallery in Paris was filled with Japanese art and objects at that time. Halonen was drawn to the Japanese expression and after his third trip to Paris, he started to collect Japanese woodcuts and continued to implement Japanese elements in his paintings.
From japonism Halonen picked ambiguous motifs from the nature, diagonal perspectives and in particular the asymmetrical composition, which is repeated in his works continiously throughout the years. The standing and narrow kakemono- as well as the low and long makimono-form, high horizon, and the use of forest interiors exist in his whole production. As his master Gauguin, Halonen was an artist that walked his own path and he converted Japanese influences to something of his own and completely unique in his art. If Halonen felt that he had succeeded particularly well with a work, he could joyfully proclaim that it has a ”Japanese vision”.
”The first snow” from 1902 is a model example of the above mentioned. In this work every characteristic from Japanese art is present; kakemono-form, the diagonal perspective, the asymmetrical composition, lack of shadows, even surfaces, ornamental water and trees and the pure palette, based on the contrast between dark outlines and white snow.
The work is in many ways unique and represents by all means the finest exoticism of the North.

According to given information Pekka Halonen liked this painting so much that he later wanted to buy it back. But the owner stated that ”A gift is a gift”.

Artist

The artist Pekka Halonen is closely associated with Finnish art, known for his realistic and simple depictions of the Finnish people and nature. Halonen was born in 1865 in Lapinlahti and belonged to a large farming family with several talented artists and musicians as relatives. In 1890, he received a scholarship that enabled him to travel to Paris and study at the Académie Julian. Halonen then continued his studies under Paul Gauguin at the Académie Colarossi in Italy. Like several contemporary Finnish artists, such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Halonen eventually returned to his homeland to explore themes in the Finnish wilderness.

Early in his career, Halonen primarily worked in the French Impressionist style, but later his painting evolved into a more monumental approach with subdued colors, often depicting themes from Finnish rural life like 'Road Builders in Karelia' (1900). Colors dominated Halonen's work; he was a virtuoso colorist. The Finnish nature held a central role in Halonen's art, and in his numerous landscape paintings, one can also discern clear influences from symbolism and japonism.

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72 200
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809 362
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74 664
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Estimate
70 000 - 80 000 EUR
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Bid history (48 bids)
6
Jun 14, 2020 4:11 PM
72 200 EUR
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Jun 14, 2020 4:11 PM
72 000 EUR
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Jun 14, 2020 4:09 PM
71 200 EUR
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71 000 EUR
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71 000 EUR
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70 200 EUR
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70 000 EUR
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69 200 EUR
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69 000 EUR
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68 200 EUR
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68 000 EUR
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67 227 EUR
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66 827 EUR
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66 222 EUR
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66 200 EUR
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66 000 EUR
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65 200 EUR
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64 200 EUR
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61 200 EUR
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