Estonian Art

The themed auction Estonian Art presents a selection of modern Estonian art from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.

Estonia’s national art scene began to take shape at the beginning of the last century and, even at an early stage, drew inspiration from European and international movements. Dramatic social changes during the 20th century contributed to the distinctive character of Estonian art. During the Soviet period, artists sought to distance themselves mentally from the official ideology, while international influences were largely absent due to closed borders. Influenced by these circumstances, Estonia’s art scene developed along its own multifaceted paths, giving rise to expressive and distinctive artistic forms. A particular phenomenon in the history of Estonian art is that of Estonian artists living abroad, who are also represented in the auction.