Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Aquatint on paper. 1955.
Signature: Võõra higi arvel (akvatinta) / I TORN – 1955

In 1955, Ilmar Torn graduated with honors from the Department of Graphic Arts at the Estonian Academy of Arts. His diploma presentation was a series of socially critical stories that told of class struggle through characteristic human types. There were several reasons for receiving the honor, including his excellent mastery of the aquatint technique and the clear communication of the narrative.

“At the expense of others” presents its story through stereotypical typologies symbolizing class struggle – a well-fed farmer in a haughty pose watching his servants plow away. Today, such a visualization of agricultural work can be taken with a fair dose of humor and irony.

However, the technically first-class level has now been supplemented by an important documentary value, which conveys the trends in art of the time. The aquatint print comes to auction from the Ilmar Torn estate and is the only copy of his very small-edition diploma thesis.

Text: Harry Liivrand, Katre Palm