Eesti kunsti oksjonid
Valdemar Väli “Saare kalasadamas”
Sügisoksjon 2024
Oil on canvas. 1961.
Signature: V. VÄLI 1961 “Saare kalasadamas“
| Measurements | 60 x 91,5 cm |
|---|---|
| Starting price | 3 300 € |
| Number of bids | 27 |
| Hammer price | 9 100 € |
Valdemar Väli (1909-2007), a Pallas graduate, was, among other things, a passionate fisherman whose broad smile, while walking to the beach in large fishing boots, has been forever captured in photo archives and in a monograph published in 2004. Väli also carried his love for the coastal people and the fishing life into his work.
In particular, his paintings depicted the living conditions of the inhabitants of Läänemaa, Muhu, Saaremaa and Kihnu. The theme of coastal life also symbolically expressed the longing for freedom, which the life of a sailor made possible to a certain extent. The form-generalizing painting “At the fishing harbor” is not just a capture of a port village but documents an important moment – going to sea!
Here, it is not yet known what the catch will be, what the weather will be like or what adventures lie ahead. Väli, who knew the fishermen’s work process like the back of his hand, vividly conveys the moment when nets are hauled into the boat, the anchor is pulled up and a raincoat is thrown overboard. The prevailing mood of anticipation is amplified by the seagulls screaming in the sky, which are an unmistakable part of coastal life.
Text: Katre Palm