Koru-Kalevala, The Illustrated Kalevala, Lemminkäinen’s Mother, Tuonela’s Swan (1923)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
Akseli Gallen-Kallela's powerful illustration from 1923, titled "Koru-Kalevala, The Illustrated Kalevala, Lemminkäinen’s Mother, Tuonela’s Swan," captures a poignant scene from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. This ink drawing beautifully conveys the emotional intensity and mystique surrounding Lemminkäinen, a central hero of the epic.The composition is divided into two primary elements that emphasize the themes of grief and the supernatural. On the left, we see Lemminkäinen's mother, rendered with deep, sorrowful expressions. Her face, characterized by bold, expressive lines and dark shading, reflects a profound despair as she looks upward, perhaps seeking divine intervention or reflecting on her son's fate.On the right, the mythical Tuonela's swan is depicted amidst wavy, abstract lines, suggesting the movement of water or the ethereal realm of Tuonela—the land of the dead in Finnish mythology. The swan, a significant symbol in the Kalevala, represents the dangerous journey Lemminkäinen undertook and the tragic consequences that followed.Gallen-Kallela's mastery in using stark black and white contrasts not only highlights the emotional gravity of the scene but also echoes the themes of life and death central to the Kalevala.