Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Drypoint on paper. 1948.
Signature: Perekond “Tiido” kuivnõel 1948. / ErnstTiido.

Ernst Tiido (1913-1957), whose work rarely appears at auctions, was taught by the legendary Ado Vabbe and the virtuoso of graphic techniques Arkadio Laigo, under whose tutelage he graduated from Pallas in 1946. Tiido was well-versed in intaglio printing techniques, which were expressed in landscapes with wide skies and views of Tartu during and after the war.

“The Tiido Family”, completed in 1948, takes the viewer to a much more intimate environment. The comparison here with his 1942 work “The Family”, which was built on the compositional approach of the Holy Family, is somewhat fascinating. There, despite the beautiful children, the central place was taken by adults, a man and a woman holding a silent dialogue with each other, the inexplicable emotional movement of which indicated the influence of expressionism of the early 20th century.

“The Tiido Family” is not about repressed feelings but rather a gentlemanly story about the artist’s own family. It hints at a clear intellectual background, which is expressed by the models’ stance and clothing as well as the graphic sheet hanging on the wall behind them.

In contrast to the previous design, the main focus here is on the child who is lovingly watched by both his mother and father. His modern clothing and tie express his pride in his son. Technically, Tiido proves himself here as a graphic artist with just as much sensitivity as in his other works, and it is especially worth highlighting the careful rendering of shiny fabric materials.

Text: Vappu Thurlow