Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1938.
Signature: Ed. Poland 1938

Born on the shores of Lake Võrtsjärv in Tartu County, Eduard Poland (1883-1957) was already interested in painting as a young boy when he painted portraits of his family members from photographs. Later, Poland, who expanded his experience in Germany, France, and Italy, worked as a theater artist in addition to his painting profession, and we find the monumentality associated with this in his free work.

Poland’s pieces captivate us with their direct experience of nature, mixed with a moderate dose of his own fantasy. Landscape painting became his main genre from the 1920s onwards and pine trees, often on heather-covered hills or sand dunes, were his constant favorites. He mostly depicted them in the evening light, under a darkening sky, which gave his paintings a romantic, fairy-tale atmosphere.

One of Poland’s greatest works, “Pines in the sand” has the effect of an artistic pastoral of the harsh Nordic nature where pine trees, defying wind and rain, cling protectively to each other. The artist has masterfully depicted the wind-washed patterns of the sandy surface and the bright glow of the evening sun on the tree trunks. Despite the evening time, the sunset-pink clouds covering the sky seem airy and luminous, demonstrating Poland’s excellent ability to convey atmosphere.

Text: Mai Levin, Katre Palm