Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1942.
Signature: J. Nõmmik – 42. / J. Nõmmik “Käsmu” 1942

One of the most talented painters who graduated from Pallas in the 1920s was Juhan Nõmmik (1902-1975), whose most important genre of work became landscape painting over the years. His considered, solid formal language and dense texture were distinctive and professional. This was helped by his acquaintance with the work of Paul Cézanne as well as the French (André Dunoyer de Segonzac et al.) and Belgian masters after World War I (a trip to Paris in 1926, a trip to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands in 1934). Nõmmik’s domestic work is mainly known for the landscapes of Saaremaa, Peedu and South Estonia, which is why this view of the Northern coast, painted in 1942 during the German occupation, is a rare find in the artist’s creative portfolio.

Nõmmik, who valued a documentarian approach, always painted specific landscapes, here depicting a view of the harbor of the fishing village of Käsmu, which captivates primarily with its fidelity to the place and neorealistic style of imagination. Käsmu bay has historically been one of the most important wintering places for ships in North Estonia, and the Võrkneeme beach there was an important place among the locals, along which fishermen reached land. Nõmmik has perfectly captured the color that emphasizes the atmosphere of waiting for rain. The blue-white-brown color triumvirate exudes emotionality and coloristic mastery in the best Pallas spirit.

The work comes from the prestigious art collection of a renowned Tartu doctor.

Text: Harry Liivrand, Mai Levin