Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1923.
Signature: C Karlsonn 1923 / C Karlsonn 1923

Konstantin Karlsonn (1854-1939), a renowned drawing and painting teacher in his hometown of Tallinn, was valued primarily for his detailed and delicate brushwork. In addition to artists, of whom Nikolai Triik was his most famous student, Karlsonn also taught medical students and botanists in whose work detailed depiction of objects was essential.

In addition to all of this, Karlsonn also managed to participate in exhibitions at the turn of the century. His small-format, documentary-style views of Tallinn were in great demand among art-loving citizens. He undertook larger pieces less frequently and the time it took to complete them also meant a higher price, which meant that he had fewer customers. It is known that one of his largest views of Tallinn belonged to the immediate family of former President Päts.

Karlsonn’s pieces were often purchased abroad and this painting is also returning to his hometown of Tallinn from its Southern neighbors, Riga. It is possible that in his romantic imagery, he was based on the style of the famous German painter Caspar David Friedrich but the perspective was provided by the nature of Estonia itself. The mighty fir trees and a lone birch swaying in the wind form a wonderful frame for the breathtakingly beautiful view of the city, the presence of whose citizens is indicated by the smoke rising from the chimneys towards the sky.

Text: Katre Palm, Mai Levin