Hugo Simberg
Encyclopedia
Hugo Gerhard Simberg was a Finnish
symbolist painter and graphic artist.
(original Swedish Fredrikshamn) in Finland
, the son of Colonel Nicolai Simberg and Ebba Matilda Simberg (born Widenius).
In 1891, at the age of 18, he enrolled at the Drawing School of the Viipuri Friends of Art, and also studied at the Drawing School of the Finnish Art Association (Suomen Taideyhdistys) (1893-1895), but in 1895 decided to become the private pupil of Akseli Gallen-Kallela
at his wilderness studio Kalela in Ruovesi
. Between 1895 and 1897 he studied with Gallen for three periods.
In 1896 Simberg went to London, and in 1897 to Paris and Italy. During these years he exhibited several works at the Finnish Artists' autumn exhibitions, including 'Autumn, Frost', 'The Devil Playing Music' and 'Aunt Alexandra' (1898), which were well received. Critical success led to his being made a member of the Finnish Art Association, and to his being appointed to teach at the Drawing School of the Viipuri Friends of Art.
In 1904 he was commissioned to decorate the interior of Saint John's church in Tampere (now Tampere cathedral), a project which he carried out with Magnus Enckell
between 1904 and 1906.
From 1907 to 1917 Simberg taught at the Drawing School of the Finnish Art Association. He died at Ahtari
in 1917.
personified.
Simberg's paintings emphasize mainly topics macabre or supernatural. A good example of this is his painting Kuolema kuuntelee ("Death Listens"). The painting depicts Death, personified as a skeleton wearing a black coat, listening with a bowed head as a young man plays the violin. In the background, there is an old woman lying on a bed, pale and apparently sickly. There is a suggestion that Death is there for the old woman, but that he is pausing so the young man, possibly the dying woman's son, can have time to finish his violin playing.
Simberg's famous painting The Wounded Angel
, too, is somewhat gloomy, its titular character appearing in the shape of a winged angel with a bandaged head, borne on a stretcher by two somberly dressed boys, one of whom looks toward the viewer with a serious expression. The painting is the best known of the artist's works and is especially famous in Finland. The Finnish symphonic metal
band Nightwish
released on 11 August 2007 their latest music video, "Amaranth
", which is based on this particular painting.
Simberg was a print-maker and photographer as well as a painter. One of his early photographs, named 'Guido, Fish Boy', shows a boy sitting on a rock, looking out to sea. He made photographs and drawings of naked pre-pubesent boys, some carrying large wreaths. Images of wreath-carrying boys (frontal nudity not quite visible) are a motif of Simberg's frescoes in the Tampere Cathedral
, painted between 1905 and 1906.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
symbolist painter and graphic artist.
Life
Simberg was born at HaminaHamina
Hamina is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is...
(original Swedish Fredrikshamn) in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the son of Colonel Nicolai Simberg and Ebba Matilda Simberg (born Widenius).
In 1891, at the age of 18, he enrolled at the Drawing School of the Viipuri Friends of Art, and also studied at the Drawing School of the Finnish Art Association (Suomen Taideyhdistys) (1893-1895), but in 1895 decided to become the private pupil of Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic . His work was considered very important for the Finnish national identity...
at his wilderness studio Kalela in Ruovesi
Ruovesi
Ruovesi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Finnish....
. Between 1895 and 1897 he studied with Gallen for three periods.
In 1896 Simberg went to London, and in 1897 to Paris and Italy. During these years he exhibited several works at the Finnish Artists' autumn exhibitions, including 'Autumn, Frost', 'The Devil Playing Music' and 'Aunt Alexandra' (1898), which were well received. Critical success led to his being made a member of the Finnish Art Association, and to his being appointed to teach at the Drawing School of the Viipuri Friends of Art.
In 1904 he was commissioned to decorate the interior of Saint John's church in Tampere (now Tampere cathedral), a project which he carried out with Magnus Enckell
Magnus Enckell
Magnus Knut Enckell was a Finnish painter.Enckell was born in Hamina, a small town in eastern Finland, the son of Carl Enkell, a priest, and Alexandra Enckell...
between 1904 and 1906.
From 1907 to 1917 Simberg taught at the Drawing School of the Finnish Art Association. He died at Ahtari
Ähtäri
Ähtäri is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingual Finnish....
in 1917.
Works
The two characters Simberg used most frequently for his art are the "Poor Devil" and DeathDeath (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
personified.
Simberg's paintings emphasize mainly topics macabre or supernatural. A good example of this is his painting Kuolema kuuntelee ("Death Listens"). The painting depicts Death, personified as a skeleton wearing a black coat, listening with a bowed head as a young man plays the violin. In the background, there is an old woman lying on a bed, pale and apparently sickly. There is a suggestion that Death is there for the old woman, but that he is pausing so the young man, possibly the dying woman's son, can have time to finish his violin playing.
The Wounded Angel
The Wounded Angel is a painting by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg. It is one of the most recognizable of Simberg's works, and was voted Finland's "national painting" in a vote held by the Ateneum art museum in 2006....
, too, is somewhat gloomy, its titular character appearing in the shape of a winged angel with a bandaged head, borne on a stretcher by two somberly dressed boys, one of whom looks toward the viewer with a serious expression. The painting is the best known of the artist's works and is especially famous in Finland. The Finnish symphonic metal
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
released on 11 August 2007 their latest music video, "Amaranth
Amaranth (song)
-Charts performance:"Amaranth" is Nightwish's most successful single reaching number 1 in Spain, Hungary, Norway and Finland. It went straight to number one in Finland and stayed at number 1 for 3 weeks, dropping to number 2 in its fourth week on the chart. "Amaranth" then returned to the top spot...
", which is based on this particular painting.
Simberg was a print-maker and photographer as well as a painter. One of his early photographs, named 'Guido, Fish Boy', shows a boy sitting on a rock, looking out to sea. He made photographs and drawings of naked pre-pubesent boys, some carrying large wreaths. Images of wreath-carrying boys (frontal nudity not quite visible) are a motif of Simberg's frescoes in the Tampere Cathedral
Tampere Cathedral
The Tampere Cathedral is a church in Tampere, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Tampere. The building was designed in the National Romantic style by Lars Sonck, and built between 1902 and 1907.The cathedral is famous for its frescoes, painted by the symbolist Hugo Simberg between 1905 and 1906...
, painted between 1905 and 1906.
Some Paintings and prints
- Haavoittunut enkeliThe Wounded AngelThe Wounded Angel is a painting by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg. It is one of the most recognizable of Simberg's works, and was voted Finland's "national painting" in a vote held by the Ateneum art museum in 2006....
(The Wounded Angel', 1903) - Kuolema kuuntelee (1897) (Death Listens)
- Kuoleman puutarhaThe Garden of DeathThe Garden of Death is a painting by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg. Like many of Simberg's paintings, it depicts a gloomy, otherworldly scene...
(The Garden of Death, 1896) - UPM-Kymmene logo, the Griffon (1899)
Further reading
- "Hugo Simberg 1873-1917", ed. A. Olavinen [exhibition catalogue, Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki] (2000)
- "Hugo Simberg 1873-1917. His life & art" [CD-rom, Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki] (2000)