The enchanting still-life painting coming up for auction Tove Jansson gave to her good friend Eva Konikoff and has eversince remained in the same family until the present owner.
Eva Konikoff was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1908. She met Tove when she worked at the company Hemflit-Kotiahkeruus Oy, specialized in interior design. Tove painted a portrait of Eva in 1941. The same year Eva moved to the United States when the Continuation War between Russia and Finland started. They exchanged letters eagerly between the years 1941-1967.
In the letters it becomes obvious that Tove considers Eva to be her best friend and she deeply admires Eva’s wisdom, insightfulness, vitality and warmth. They are both deeply frustrated of being apart from each other.
Through Eva Tove gets inspiration and impulses from the USA. During the war and the years after conditions are scarce in Finland and Eva sends fruit, cosmetics, cigarettes and artist material to Tove.
Eva Konikoff made her living as a seamstress at a high-end clothing store in New York. She was also a very talented photographer. During a visit in Finland in 1949 she took several pictures of Tove in her studio. Tove was totally delighted with the pictures, saying; ”They are the most authentic pictures to have been taken here, both of me and of the studio. I even look quite attractive”.