Of the heros in the Kalevala, Sjöstrand was interested most by
Kullervo. lt was easy for him to identify Kullervo, who at the age of
three days had risen out of his cradle, with Finnish sculpture rising
from its cradle under the artist's guidance. The conventional Sjöstrand
was fascinated by the fate of the reckless Kullervo, the son of a
subjugated serf. He depicted the beginning and the end to the
life of the ill-fated Kullervo: Kullervo at the age of a few days
demonstrating his superhuman powers by tearing himself free of the
swaddling clothes that had bound him, ready to fight for his rights
and to revenge the death of his family (
Kullervo Tearing His
Swaddling Clothes
1858). Sjöstrand also made a sculpture
of the mature Kullervo throwing himself on his own sword as the
inevitable end to a life filled with strife and killing (
The Death
of Kullervo
).
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The Biedermeier Era B.A. Godenhjelm and C.E. Sjöstrand, the First Teachers at the Helsinki Drawing School 
Berndt Abraham Godenhjelm : Omakuva pietarilaisessa työhuoneessa Carl Eneas Sjöstrand : Kullervon surma Kullervo katkoo kapalonsa Robert Wilhelm Ekman : Ilmatar Kreeta Haapasalo soittaa kannelta talonpoikaistuvassa The Collection of the Finnish Art Society and the Idea of a Museum Magnus von Wright : Pulska-alli Sorsia Wilhelm von Wright : Riippuvia sorsia Magnus von Wright : Liljenstrandein talo talvella Annankatu kylmänä talviaamuna Ferdinand von Wright : Huuhkaja iskee jänikseen Ensi yllätys Haminanlahden puutarhassa Taistelevat metsot
