Timeless Beauty

The works of beloved Finnish artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries open a window to the era's image of women as models and muses. In addition to the museum collections, several works are on loan from private collections.

The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see some of the works from Pekka Salojärvi's collection, representing Finland's Golden Age, which until now have only been on display at Jyväskylä City Hall. For example, Helene Schjefbeck's Fishing Girl from 1884 and Albert Edelfelt's Sewing Girls from 1887. The exhibition, which focuses on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, features portraits and events in women's lives, as well as delicate floral arrangements. Viewers can also find references to old art in contemporary art.

The exhibition offers a fascinating art-historical overview of the role of women as models and muses, but also as independent artists. The late 19th century saw a trend that brought Finnish women artists alongside men to compete for the same prizes, travel grants and places to study. Many of them went to Paris and were able to make a career as respected artists on their return home.