Ellen Thesleff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellen Thesleff
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Ellen Thesleff in 1945
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| Born | 5 October 1869 |
| Died | 12 January 1954 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Education | Finnish Art Society Académie Colarossi |
| Style | painter |
| Movement | Symbolism Expressionism Modernism |
Ellen Thesleff (born October 5, 1869 – died January 12, 1954) was an important Finnish painter. She is known as one of the first and most important Finnish artists to paint in a modern style. Her art often showed strong feelings and new ways of seeing the world.
Early Life and Education
Ellen Thesleff was born in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. She was the oldest of five children. Her father enjoyed painting as a hobby, which might have inspired Ellen.
Ellen began her art studies with private lessons. In 1887, when she was 18, she joined the Finnish Art Society Drawing School. This school is now called the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki. She studied there for two years with a teacher named Gunnar Berndtson.
In 1891, Ellen decided to move to Paris, France. Paris was a very important city for artists at that time. She enrolled in a famous art school called Académie Colarossi. This helped her learn new techniques and ideas.
Life as an Artist
Ellen Thesleff spent her life traveling and living in different places. She lived in Finland, France, and Italy. She first visited Italy in 1894. In Finland, her family had a special home in a place called Murole, near Ruovesi. She never got married.
Ellen's paintings were shown in many big art exhibitions during the 20th century. One important show was in 1949 in Copenhagen. This was a large exhibition of art from Nordic countries. Her paintings were highly praised by art critics and the media.
Artistic Style
When Ellen Thesleff first started her career, she painted in a style called Symbolism. This art style uses symbols and ideas to show feelings or deeper meanings, rather than just showing things exactly as they look. Her early work was similar to the French artist Eugène Carrière. However, Ellen herself said that the artist Édouard Manet influenced her the most. Manet was known for his modern approach to painting.
Later in her career, Ellen Thesleff's style changed. She began to paint in Expressionism and Modernism. Expressionism is an art style where artists show their inner feelings and emotions through their art, often using strong colors and shapes. Modernism refers to a period of art where artists experimented with new ways of seeing and showing the world. Ellen became especially known for her landscapes painted in these modern styles.
Legacy
Ellen Thesleff's work continues to be important today. In 2018, some of her paintings were part of a special art show. This exhibition was called Women in Paris 1850-1900. It highlighted the work of many talented women artists from that time.
