Lake Keitele: a Vision of Finland, the National Gallery

Smooth Finnish: the glassy surface of Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele comes to London at the National Gallery

'Lake Keitele', Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1904 version. Image via the National Gallery.
Discover Finland’s silvery lakes and towering forests at the National Gallery this winter with a special exhibition around Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele (1905), a favourite from the gallery’s permanent collection.

Lake Keitele: a Vision of Finland mounts a detailed investigation into the canvas’s composition: all four versions of the hypnotic landscape will be united and displayed side by side. The exhibition provides a window into the artistic development of one of the leading figures of Finnish modernism, as Gallen-Kallela’s depiction moves from a meticulous realism in its first version to stylised abstraction in its later incarnations.

The exhibition promises to be an entrancing introduction to the painter’s work. Mesmerised by the landscape that surrounded him, he produced crystalline renderings of Finland’s icy lakes and piercing light – works which have nevertheless often been overlooked amid those of better-known avant-garde painters.

Lake Keitele: a Vision of Finland looks poised to be a vivid reminder of Gallen-Kallela’s skill.

TRY CULTURE WHISPER
Receive free tickets & insider tips to unlock the best of London — direct to your inbox

What Lake Keitele: a Vision of Finland, the National Gallery
Where National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN | MAP
Nearest tube Charing Cross (underground)
When 15 Nov 17 – 04 Feb 18, Saturday - Thursday 10:00 - 18:00, Friday 10:00 - 21:00
Price £TBC
Website Click here for more details




You may also like: