Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Aquatint on paper. 1971.
Signature: Aquatint 1971 edition 20 / A. Veeber imp.

Agathe Veeber (until 1926 Agathe Kanto, 1901-1988) completed her graphic arts studies at Pallas in 1938, being part of the famous “triumvirate” of female graphic artists along with Aino Bach and Salome Trei. Before that, she had also studied with Ants Laikmaa, at the Nuremberg Art School and the State School of Industrial Art, which shows the artist’s passion and dedication to the subject. In 1944, Veeber left her homeland and successfully established herself as a graphic artist in New York. However, her heart always remained in Estonia, and so her ashes were buried in Rahumäe Cemetery, next to her husband Kuno Veeber (1898-1929).

Veeber’s post-war work is full of exciting discoveries. She had already explored the motif of the “woman with a cat” before the war, interpreting the animal as an important companion for humans. Veeber’s soft, unsharp line conveys a sense of security and homeliness – exactly what she was always looking for.

Text: Mai Levin