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Eero Järnefelt prints capture the lakes, forests and summer light of Finland. Järnefelt was a Finnish painter of the national Golden Age, best known for his landscapes of the Koli hills in North Karelia and for his portraits. This collection gathers art prints of his lake views and Koli panoramas, summer night scenes, studies of clouds and trees, portraits of family and friends, and his famous scene of peasant labor, Burning the Brushwood.

About Eero Järnefelt

Eero Järnefelt was born in Vyborg on 8 November 1863, the son of General Alexander Järnefelt and Baroness Elisabeth Clodt von Jürgensburg. His family was full of artists and writers: his brother Armas was a composer and conductor, and his sister Aino married the composer Jean Sibelius.

He studied at the drawing school in Helsinki, at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St Petersburg from 1883 to 1886, where his uncle Mikhail Clodt was among his teachers, and at the Académie Julian in Paris from 1886 to 1888 under Tony Robert-Fleury. The Naturalism of Jules Bastien-Lepage was a major influence. In 1889 he married the actress Saimi Swan, and they had five children.

In 1892 he first visited Koli in North Karelia, returning regularly until 1936. In 1901 he built the house Suviranta at the artists' colony on Lake Tuusula, living there until 1917. He taught drawing at the University of Helsinki from 1902 to 1928, became a professor in 1912 and chaired the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. He won medals at the Paris World's Fairs of 1889 and 1900, and died in Helsinki on 15 November 1937.

Style and Subjects

Järnefelt's early work follows the Naturalism he learned in Paris: careful observation, natural light and everyday people. His best-known painting, Burning the Brushwood, shows the hard work of clearing land for crops, with smoke and heat filling the scene.

His landscapes celebrate Finland's nature. From the heights of Koli he painted wide views over lakes and forested islands, and at home he painted summer nights, lakeshores with reeds, water plants, clouds and trees. He was also a respected portrait painter, painting his wife Saimi, fellow artists and leading figures of Finnish culture.

Famous Works

• Le Franc, Wine Merchant, Boulevard de Clichy, Paris (1888), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. A Paris street scene from his student years.
• Summer Night Moon (1889), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. The pale light of a Nordic summer night.
• Burning the Brushwood (Under the Yoke) (1893), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. Workers clearing land by fire, his most famous painting.
• The Artist's Wife (1895), Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. A portrait of Saimi Järnefelt.
• Autumn Landscape of Lake Pielisjärvi (1899), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. A view from the Koli heights over lakes and islands.
• Lake Shore with Reeds (1905), Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. A quiet study of water and reeds.

Decorating with Järnefelt Prints

Järnefelt's lake and Koli landscapes bring calm, northern light to a living room, bedroom or home office. Their blues, greens and soft golds suit Scandinavian, minimalist and cabin-style interiors, especially in light wood frames.

His cloud and tree studies make a peaceful group for a hallway or reading corner, and his portraits of Saimi and summer meadow scenes add warmth to a bedroom or guest room.

FAQ

What art movement was Eero Järnefelt part of?

Järnefelt belongs to the Golden Age of Finnish art and the romantic nationalist movement. His early work was shaped by French Naturalism, especially Jules Bastien-Lepage.

What is Eero Järnefelt's most famous painting?

Burning the Brushwood (1893), also called Under the Yoke, in the Finnish National Gallery, is his best-known work. It shows workers clearing land for farming by fire.

Where can I see Järnefelt's original paintings?

The Finnish National Gallery (Ateneum) in Helsinki holds his major works. Others are in the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, and his home Suviranta at Lake Tuusula is still owned by his family.

How can you recognize an Eero Järnefelt painting?

Look for clear, naturalistic Finnish landscapes, especially wide views over blue lakes and forested islands, soft summer light, and carefully observed portraits.

What is Koli and why did Järnefelt paint it?

Koli is a range of hills in North Karelia with sweeping views over Lake Pielinen. Järnefelt first went there in 1892 with the writer Juhani Aho and the painter Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, and returned regularly for more than forty years.

Related Artists

• Pekka Halonen — Finnish painter and fellow member of the Tuusula artists' colony, whom Järnefelt painted
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — leading painter of the Finnish Golden Age
• Albert Edelfelt — Finnish painter who also trained in Paris in the naturalist manner
• Helene Schjerfbeck — Finnish contemporary who also studied in Paris