Alexander Lauréus

• Alexander Lauréus : Nuori nainen pelaamassa pasianssia, 1807, 35x28, oil, canvas (A II 918) (14.9 kB)

In the autumn of 1802 Alexander Lauréus (1783-1823) went to the Royal Academy in Stockholm by means of funds raised by a subscription among the citizens of his home town Turku. Thus Lauréus was the first Finnish artist to have been decidedly influenced by communal support in entering the profession. The visual arts were gradually seen to contain educative values that might have also a wider social significance.

Lauréus's career in Stockholm had a good start; he rapidly became a member of the Fine Arts Academy and soon gained the title of court painter. Meanwhile in Finland Turku was abandoned as the capital which was moved to the yet traditionless Helsinki. For the cultural climate this meant a long recession. As an artist Lauréus had no reason to return to his home country.

The developments of Lauréus's career and art were, however, closely followed in Finland. In his art Lauréus had made a clear choice: away with classical mythology and lofty religious subject; he would paint instead pictures of ordinary people, everyday life and adventure. This was the kind of art that was near to the man in the street. Lauréus's art, whose subjects consisted of a free life in the country, roaming tramps and bandits, carefree herdsmen and foresters, was suffiently remote from the commonplace to be interesting. At the same time it was sufficiently familiar to avoid being rejected for abstruseness.

Alexander Lauréus : Nuori nainen pelaamassa pasianssia