Maggie

Venny Soldan-Brofeldt prints bring the warm family life, sunny shores and lively portraits of Finland's Golden Age into your home. Soldan-Brofeldt was a Finnish painter, illustrator and designer whose home was a meeting place for Sibelius, Gallen-Kallela and the leading artists of her day. Our collection of fine art prints covers her portraits of friends and family, her many pictures of her son Antti, coastal scenes and studies from Italy.

About Venny Soldan-Brofeldt

Wendla Irene Soldan, known as Venny, was born in Helsinki on 2 November 1863, the daughter of the director of the Finnish Mint and a German mother. Her family supported her wish to be an artist. She studied at the drawing school of the Finnish Art Association from 1880 to 1884, privately with Maria Wiik, in St Petersburg and twice at the Académie Colarossi in Paris, and paid for study trips to Spain and Italy by copying old masters.

In 1891 she married the writer Juhani Aho, and their Helsinki home became a cultural meeting place for Jean Sibelius, Pekka Halonen, Albert Edelfelt, Axel Gallén and Eero Järnefelt. She was sometimes criticised for "masculine" habits such as smoking a pipe and wearing trousers. Their sons Heikki, later a filmmaker, and Antti, later a writer, were born in 1895 and 1900. In 1896 she went to Berlin to study wallpaper design.

When Aho was blacklisted by the Russian authorities in 1903, the family lived for a year in the Tyrol, Venice and Florence. In 1910 the couple made a children's picture book together. After Aho's death in 1921 she travelled widely and represented her sons' film company, and in 1933 she became honorary spokesperson of the Lalluka Artists' Home. During the Winter War she moved to Lohja, where she died on 10 October 1945.

Style and Subjects

Soldan-Brofeldt painted with a fresh, direct touch and a strong eye for everyday life. Her favourite model was her son Antti, whom she painted drawing, carving, reading and playing on the shore, and her pictures of children feel natural and unposed.

She also painted lively portraits of the people around her, from Juhani Aho and Aino Sibelius to the dancer Maggie Gripenberg, as well as rural scenes, archipelago views and colourful sketches of Italy. Beyond painting she worked as an illustrator, graphic artist, wood sculptor and jewellery designer.

Famous Works

• Self-Portrait (1882), Aine Art Museum, Tornio. An early self-portrait from her student years.
• Portrait of Juhani Aho (1891), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. Her husband, painted in the year they married.
• The Pietists (1898), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. A gathering of religious country people.
• Portrait of Sigrid af Forselles (1902), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. A portrait from the years after her return from Italy.
• Antti Drawing on Sand (1907), Järvenpää Art Museum. Her young son absorbed in drawing on the beach.
• Maggie (1916), Järvenpää Art Museum. A portrait of Maggie Gripenberg, whom she painted many times.
• Boys Gathering a Fishing Net (1917), Järvenpää Art Museum. Boys at work on the shore.

Decorating with Soldan-Brofeldt Prints

Soldan-Brofeldt's pictures of Antti and other children, like Antti Carving a Bark Boat, are a natural fit for a child's room, family room or reading nook, and their soft natural colours suit Scandinavian and cottage interiors.

Her coast and archipelago scenes bring light to a bathroom or summer house, and her portraits of friends such as Aino Sibelius make an interesting group in a study or hallway.

FAQ

Who was Venny Soldan-Brofeldt?

She was a Finnish painter, illustrator and designer (1863–1945), married to the writer Juhani Aho, and a member of the circle of artists of Finland's Golden Age.

Who did Venny Soldan-Brofeldt paint?

She painted her family, especially her son Antti, as well as friends such as Juhani Aho, Aino Sibelius, the dancer Maggie Gripenberg and Sigrid af Forselles.

Where can I see her paintings?

The Finnish National Gallery in Helsinki and the Järvenpää Art Museum hold many of her works, and others are in the Kuopio Art Museum and the Aine Art Museum in Tornio.

Was Venny Soldan-Brofeldt part of the Finnish Golden Age?

Yes. Her home was a gathering place for leading figures of the period, including Jean Sibelius, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Pekka Halonen, Eero Järnefelt and Albert Edelfelt.

Related Artists

• Pekka Halonen: Finnish painter and regular guest at her home
• Albert Edelfelt: leading Finnish painter in her circle
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela: painter (then Axel Gallén) who visited her home
• Eero Järnefelt: Finnish painter in her circle of friends
• Maria Wiik: her private painting teacher