Halosenniemi’s exhibition “From the drawing school to the world” presents the works of the artists of the golden age, Pekka Halonen and Albert Gebhard, from collaborative study sessions to drawings and paintings of later years. Gebhard’s works in the exhibition come largely from private collections and have rarely been in public display.

Pekka Halonen (1865–1933) made friends with Albert Gebhard (1869–1937) in Helsinki at the Finnish Art Association’s School of Drawing in the early stages of his art studies in the late 1880s. Gebhard was a little younger than Halonen, but more technically advanced, and he helped his friend with many drawing problems.

After attending Finnish Art Association’s School of Drawing, studies were generally continued abroad, mainly in Paris and Italy. Almost all the notable Finnish artists of the end of the century lived in Paris – visual artists, writers and composers alike.

Gebhard traveled to Paris in the early 1890s to study at the Académie Cormon´. With his inspiring letters, he encouraged Halonen to do the same. Halonen traveled to Paris in the autumn of 1890 and began his studies at the second Academy favored by Finns, the Académie Julian. Gebhard and Halonen traveled to Italy in late 1896 together. The exhibition features the artists’ Italian works on Florence and Vesuvius in the Gulf of Naples.

Halonen and Gebhard participated in the 1900 Paris World’s Fair. Both artists belonged to the so-called Young Finland circle. Their paintings strengthened the Finnish national sense and identity. Gebhard’s paintings depict folk life and the Finnish landscape. The paintings have been depicted with almost folk life precision, and there is an understanding of the rural population in high-quality pictorial personal subjects, as in the work Kehdon äärellä (1899). Landscapes depicting Gebhard’s homeland are realistic, such as Kotoinen ranta (1896). Gebhard was one of the most important Finnish artists of the end of the 19th century, although he has remained more unknown to his contemporaries.

Painter and portraitist

Albert Gebhard was a skilled painter, especially in his field of humorous illustrations and caricatures. In Finland, he is considered one of the key pioneers in the field of drawing. Gebhard co-founded the Suomen Taidepiirtäjäliitto (“Finnish Association of Art Drawers”) in 1933 (now called Grafia). After the turn of the century, Gebhard became increasingly focused on illustration as well as teaching. Gebhard served as an inspiring teacher and principal at the Art Association’s School of Drawing and taught encouragingly to a young generation of modernists. The drawings were published in several different magazines, from Päivälehti’s Nuori Suomi Christmas albums to time-lapse magazines, such as Kurikka and Tuulispää.

In addition, Gebhard is known as a popular portrait painter. An article about his 60th birthday says he made about 300 portraits of several well-known politicians and cultural figures.

The Halosenniemi exhibition presents strong descriptions of folk life and Finnish landscapes from both artists.

Opening hours 2020:
1.5.-6.9. Mon – Sun 11 am – 6 pm (closed during the exchange of the exhibition September 7th-11th)
Pleas note! Extended opening hours on Thursday during Asuntomessut from 11 am to 7 pm
12.9.-29.11. Tue – Sun 12 pm – 5 pm
Exceptions and clarifications in opening hours 2020

Museum entrance fees:
adults 8 € / pensioners, students 6 € / children (ages 7–16) 2 € and with the Museum Card free admission.

HALOSENNIEMI
Tuusulan taidemuseo
Rantatie, Tuusula
p. 09 8718 3466
www.facebook.com/halosenniemi
www.instagram.com/halosenniemi
www.halosenniemi.fi

Exhibition guides
on Sundays at 1 pm in Finnish and at 3 pm in English

Upcoming exhibitions 2020

Oma koti kullan kallis
– maalauksia talonpoikaistuvista taiteilijakoteihin
(“Home Sweet Home – paintings from peasantry to artist homes”)
12.5.–6.9.2020

Metsän siimeksessä
(“At the edge of the forest”)
15.9.–29.11.2020