Lemminkäinen’s Mother (1897)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
"Lemminkäinen's Mother," painted by Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela in 1897, is a profound and poignant representation of maternal grief and mythological narrative. This evocative work draws its inspiration from the Kalevala, a 19th-century work of epic poetry comprised of Finnish and Karelian folklore and mythology.The painting depicts a tragic scene from the Kalevala, where Lemminkäinen, a young and brash hero, is killed. His body, shown lifeless and pale, lies on a white sheet, a stark contrast against the dark, detailed background. The hero’s mother, depicted with overwhelming sorrow and depth, cradles her son's head in her lap, her face wrought with despair. Her anguished posture and lamenting expression evoke a universal theme of parental loss and love.Adding to the somber mood of the artwork are the scattered bones and skulls at the foreground, symbolizing death and the aftermath of battle, and perhaps foreshadowing the futility of vengeance. The winding, blood-red stones that lead away from the scene may suggest the long, arduous journey the mother must undertake to revive her son."Lemminkäinen's Mother" is a masterful blend of Finnish cultural heritage and universal themes of love, loss, and resilience.