Eero Järnefelt exhibition fascinates with all things nature, from the minute to the monumental

Järnefelt sought to capture the essential in his works

Eero Järnefelt’s art draws from the interesting cultural background of his family, and it is characterised by capturing the essential traits in both nature and people. The artist knew how to portray his subjects: his works feature minute details, delicate atmospheres, and imposing monumentality. 

The exhibition sheds light on the various aspects of Järnefelt’s view of landscapes and people. It also provides information about Järnefelt’s immediate and extended family, study trips, home life in Suviranta on Lake Tuusulanjärvi, and the links between his art and the Fennoman ideology of his time. 

Järnefelt’s nature paintings and landscapes of the Koli area raise the question whether the natural environments depicted by the artist in the 19th and 20th centuries still exist – and what our relationship with nature and landscapes is today. In his works, the artist pays the same amount of attention to imposing hill landscapes and the delicate details of a pond water-crowfoot or a marsh marigold. 

Järnefelt is also known for his portraits of prominent figures of his time. The exhibition will feature interesting portraits of, for example, Tekla Hultin, journalist, Doctor, and Member of Parliament, and Mathilda Wrede, who dedicated her life to helping prisoners and the disadvantaged. 

The exhibition will also feature a special route designed for visitors with children, which encourages viewing and discussing the works on display from a child’s perspective. 

The exhibition is curated by the chief curator at the Ateneum, Timo Huusko. Most of the works come from the collection of the Finnish National Gallery, but there is also a large number of works on loan from other museums and private collections. A total of over 200 works will be on display. 

The exhibition will be complemented by the publication of an exhibition catalogue, to be made available in Finnish, Swedish and English and featuring new information and research on Järnefelt’s immediate and extended family, travels, and his home life in Suviranta. The book is edited by the curator of collections at the Ateneum, Hanne Selkokari, with written contributions by Timo Huusko, Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff, Julia Donner, Teemu Keskisarja, Minna Maijala, Tutta Palin and Hanne Selkokari. 

The huge influence of the Järnefelt family on Finnish cultural life

In the exhibition, you can also learn about the Järnefelt family and close relatives, who had a huge influence on the art and culture of Finland at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Järnefelt’s siblings, the critic Kasper, the writer Arvid, the musician Armas, and Aino, who later became Jean Sibelius’s wife, are remembered not only for their contributions to visual arts, literature and music, but also as part of a wider network of active cultural figures. 

Eero Järnefelt’s father Alexander Järnefelt made the Fennomans’ battle for the Finnish language his life’s work, and his mother Elisabeth Järnefelt is especially remembered for her literary salon, the most famous participant of which was the writer Juhani Aho.  

Book places for an exhibition intro – for example, for yourself or a group of friends

In the exhibition intro, an expert guide introduces visitors to Eero Järnefelt’s art with the help of a rich visual presentation. Places for group intros are on sale now – individual places can be booked starting 11 March. 

Read more about exhibition intros for groups 

You can buy advance tickets on the Ateneum website 

If you want to guarantee your admission to the Ateneum at a specific time, we recommend buying an advance ticket. Tickets can also be booked with a Museum Card and various annual passes, with no additional fees. Tickets are also sold at the door. 

Read more about buying tickets 

Press conference on Wednesday 3 April at 10:15 – also online

A press conference for the exhibition will be held in the Ateneum Hall starting at 10:15. The doors of the Ateneum will open at 10:00. The exhibition will be open for preview on the third floor of the museum until 13:00. You can also follow the press conference online.

The exhibition and Eero Järnefelt will be discussed by the director of the Ateneum, Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff, and the exhibition curator, the chief curator at the Ateneum, Timo Huusko. 

The event will be in Finnish. Please register for the event by 2 April 2024. Click this link to register 

See directions on how to get here. 

You can also follow the press conference online 

To join the press conference online, click this link. You can join from 10:00, and the press conference will start at 10:15. During the event, you can ask questions using the chat function. To join the meeting using a mobile device, you need to download the Teams application. When using a computer, you can also join using just a browser. When using a browser, we recommend using the latest version of Chrome or Edge.  

More information: Communications manager Anna Kari, tel. +358 40 717 8185, anna.kari [a] ateneum.fi 

Images: press.ateneum.fi 

Ateneum Art Museum

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 10:00–20:00 | Sat, Sun 10:00–17:00 | Mon closed

Admission fees: Standand admission at the ticket office €22 | Standard admission online €20 | Discounted admission €12 | 18–24-year-olds €12 | Under 18-year-olds €0 | Museum Card: free entry