The nature of the Biedermeier age appeared at its clearest and most typically Finnish in the art of the von Wright brothers ( Magnus von Wright (1805-1868), Wilhelm von Wright (1810-1887) and Ferdinand von Wright (1822-1905)).
The three brothers' art was to a great extent based on a patriotic idealism conceived in the Biedermeier spirit. The Finnish landscape became a subject of increasing enthusiastic attention; a collaborative work by artists and writers, the picture book Finland framstäldt i teckningar (Finland presented in drawings) was published in the middle of the century to convey to the public the fatherland's greatest scenes of natural beauty. One of the artists involved was Magnus von Wright, through whose works winter became a subject of Finnish art for the first time. Fredrik Cygnaeus gave these Finnish winter scenes his unreserved approval: . . .The snow seems to open in fragrant blossoms. Winter is not for the painter an abomination: he does not fear it like a necessary evil to which he has to resign himself . . . His sensation of this translucent whiteness, this fine and charming (phenomenon) is as sweet as the rustle of one's mistresses silk skirt as she approaches light-footed. . .
Despite the enthusiastic start the von Wright brothers were in a
sense victims of their times: for someone living far from the centres
of art self-education was the only way to become an artist. None of
the brothers received any outside tuition in art worth mentioning,
rather they taught one another.
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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
