Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Gouache, watercolor, pastel on paper. 1938.
Signature: A. V. 1938

Under the masterful hand of one of the greatest figures of Estonian art and a founding member of Pallas, Ado Vabbe (1892-1961), 28 future painters received their painting diplomas. This included Johannes Võerahansu, Aleksander Vardi, Karl Pärsimägi, Karin Luts, Endel Kõks, Elmar Kits, any many other known figures. Vabbe, who trained in various European art centers, brought new techniques, ideas, and trends back to his homeland.

This painting was completed in a significant year in the artist’s career, when he became Pallas’ third professor alongside Anton Starkopf and Nikolai Triik. Also completed in 1938 was one of the artist’s masterpieces, “Farmyard Motif” (aka “Summer Morning”), which had made a striking impression on his student Endel Kõks.

It is highly likely that Vabbe painted a specific bridge here from nature – he loved to create in nature in order to capture its sensitive light nuances live. One of his students, Kaja Kärner, has recalled that “Vabbe emphasized projection, perspective and composition in his teaching, as well as complementary colors, where the contrast of warm and cold was especially important” (“Ado Vabbe. Wunderbar”, 2008, p. 80).

This painting proves that the artist lived up to his words – the view before us – probably of the Emajõgi River – meets all of the above criteria. Moreover, the piece also unfolds a narrative line through the female figure immediately stepping off the bridge – where is she coming from and where is she going?

“Landscape with a bridge” is reproduced in the June 1939 issue of Varamu and in Tiiu Talvistu’s monograph “Ado Vabbe. Wunderbar” (Tartu. 2022, p. 316).

Text: Katre Palm