Bukowskis presents a tapestry by Helene Schjerfbeck
Helene Schjerfbeck
A tapestry for The Friends of Finnish Handicraft
Helene Schjerfbeck's (1862-1946) long artistic career includes a short period when, in addition to painting, she also created textile models for the Friends of Finnish Handicrafts (FFH). The main purpose of FFH is, and has been from the start, to define and to cherish the pure Finnish style in the tradition of textile crafts.
According to FFH’s archives Schjerfbeck designed eight different textile models for The Friends of Finnish Handicraft during the years 1902-1910. One can see clear similarities between the textile models and her art – the textile are simplified and scarce in their colour scheme, just like her paintings.
The wall hanging "Dance" was first presented at the Friends of Finnish Handicrafts' autumn exhibition in 1911 and later at the Friends of Finnish Handicrafts' 40th-anniversary exhibition in 1919. The copy, which is now for sale at Bukowskis, was purchased from the Friends of Finnish Handicrafts in the 1930s and has since been passed down in the family.
In the late 1930s the piece was hanging in the owner’s summer cottage on Porkala udd, where their closest neighbors were Gösta and Bertha Stenman. Gösta Stenman was a leading figure and patron of modern art in Finland, and he is particularly associated with the rediscovery of Helene Schjerfbeck. According to hearsay, Gösta Stenman was very fond of the artwork and tried to buy it several times, but no deal was ever made.
For sale at Bukowskis Online only auction, October 19 - 30.
