Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Silkscreen on paper. 1993.
Signature: “Ükssarv” siiditrükk 43/180 / J. Arrak 93.

Estonian modernist Jüri Arrak (1936-2022) was a master of dealing with myths and allegories in art, often taking the action to medieval settings, the world of castles and towers. It is no wonder then that the mythological animal, the unicorn also appeared in Arrak’s works.

In this famous story by Arrak, both a unicorn symbolizing purity and innocence and a young woman carrying the goodness of the world, enter into conversation. The half-ruined castle in the background adds a romantic context but still leaves the temporal boundary of the motif open. Is it the 13th century? Or maybe the 17th? This is not really important in Arrak’s work because his message and themes are timeless.

The most important thing here is the mystery and myriad of meanings emanating from the print, which put the viewer’s imagination to work. The coloristic virtuosity of the work, the richness and nuance of the jet black and blackish-gray tones, are also noteworthy. The print is also presented in the ERR documentary “Estonian Art – Jüri Arrak”, at minute 36:00 (Tallinn, 1996).

Text: Harry Liivrand