"Gems from a Private Collection"

14.10.2005 - 23.10.2005

8 Kaarli Pst., Tallinn

The “Gems of a Private Collection” exhibition traces in brief the history of Estonian art. It begins with the Baltic German masters of art, Wilhelm von Kьgelgen the first to be named as an author of “The Resurrection of Nairi’s Daughter”, a sophisticated painting in miniature.
Kьgelgen, and Gregor von Bochmann, and Eugen Dьcker – the professors of Dьsseldorf Academy of Arts, are the most outstanding artists in Germany in the 19th century, and Estonian painters have learnt, for instance, from Eduard von Gebhardt. Works of Tхnis Grenzstein of the Dьsseldorf period, discovered recently, throw new light on his creations.

Amandus Adamson, whose sculptures are very popular in Estonia and Russia, is presented also by a painting.

It was typical of the Estonian artists in the thirties of the 20th century to search new styles in art. Konrad Mдgi, Ado Vabbe, Mдrt Laarman were the leaders of modernism at the time, and their works are also presented in this collection, some of them have been considered as lost ones – “The Motif of Stockholm”, for instance, by Mдrt Laarman.

Among the sensational discoveries of Estonian art by the author of the collection are Kaarel Liiman”s “Nude”, “The Half-naked in a Striped Skirt” by Adamson Eric, “The Motif of Alhambra” by Roman Nyman, “View of the Water-mill” by Pьtsepp, “The Sea” by Herbert Lukk (pointillist). These are brilliant pieces of Estonian art of the 1930s. Renowned artists of the Tartu Pallas School are displayed at the exhibition: works of Elmar Kits, Endel Kхks, Richard Uuutmaa. Eduard Wiiralt and Kristian Raud – pillars of graphic art - one can also enjoy at this exhibition.

One of the gems of the collection is the masterpiece of Gьnther Reindorff – “Quiet Shore. Vainepea”, a romantic landscape.

The exhibition is of high artistic level and demonstrates the keen interest of the collector in successful search for rare pieces of art, unknown to the audience of today.