Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Aquatint on paper. 1960.
Signature: Proov “Muhu poiss” (akvatinta) / VTolli 1960.

With roots in Muhu, Vive Tolli (1928-2020) was the grand old lady of Estonian graphic art. Later, she became an emeritus professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts and cemented herself in the hearts of the Estonian people with one of the most successful children’s books of the 1960s, “The Tales of Pille-Riin” whose cheerful characters in Ellen Niit’s texts were designed by Tolli.

Tolli’s works are full of poetry as she is fascinated by themes that peer into the world of fate, dreams and feelings. The artist, who mainly worked in the etching technique, often used fragments of local folklore and ornamentation in her work, which is why Muhu became an endless source of inspiration for her.

One of the artist’s most beautiful and well-known pieces from this early creative period, “Beach boy”, also known among the people as “Muhu boy”, depicts a fair-haired Muhu child with a dreamy look on his face. With a small fishing village behind him, Tolli simultaneously tells the story of the protagonist’s daily life while also delving into his dreams and hopes for the future. The dynamics and rhythm that dominate the artist’s prints come to life here through fishing nets laid out to dry, which help convey the idea of a safe homestead that always awaits the beach boy back home.

Text: Katre Palm