While Godenhjelm and Sjöstrand were teaching the rudiments of art in Helsinki, the drawing school in Turku displayed vigorous activity. It had managed to engage the renowned Robert Wilhelm Ekman (1808-1873) as its teacher.
R.W. Ekman's path to the teaching post in the Turku Drawing School -- the position of the country's leading artist being his ultimate goal -- took him from the Art Academy in Stockholm via Paris and Italy back to Stockholm and Turku.
Great hopes were placed on Ekman. He was just the kind of man of the world that Turku had longed for. Membership of the Stockholm Art Academy and the title of Royal Court and History Painter were his guarantees of quality. The Turku citizens were delighted to have an experienced and distinguished teacher, and Ekman did spend a lot of time and energy on revising the drawing school's teaching programme. The Turku school had life classes long before the Helsinki drawing school.
Ekman had a passionate interest for the peasant life and
historical past of his country. From the 1850s onwards his work
included ancient Finnish subjects. His most ardent dream was to
illustrate the epic poetry of the Kalevala. But despite a great deal
of work and enthusiasm Ekman never got the work finished; nobody
would take on the publication of this 'foolhardy' project. Dozens of
studies and sketches in which Ekman saught a pictorial expression of
the heroic world are remaining. The ambitious plan finally drove Ekman
into financial and spiritual ruin.
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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
