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National Museum Exhibition Archive
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Political protest. Portraits of great men and coats of arms pressed in glass20 October 2012 - 31 March 2013 |
 Lönnrot-glass, Riihimäki glass factory, 1910's. Photo: Pekka Helin, Museum of Central Finland.
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The exhibition that was produced by the Museum of Central Finland and is now opening at the National Museum of Finland sheds light on how the period of Russification at the beginning of the 20th century was reflected in Finnish pressed glass items. The stipulations that restricted Finland's strong sovereignty during the period of autonomy sparked ever-increasing national uproar in the 1890s. The February Manifesto of 1899 escalated the situation and resulted in protests and demonstrations employing concealed symbolism. The exhibition's glasses and saucers, featuring great men and coats of arms, represent one of the most unique expressions of Finnish national spirit and its historical perspectives. They have also become coveted collector's items. The items in the exhibition have been manufactured by the Karhula, Iittala, Nuutajärvi, Wiiala and Riihimäki glass factories. At the time, national emblems and symbols, along with pictures and statues related to Finland's past accomplishments, were published and placed on public display. The Finnish glass industry was involved in this demonstration of views by including pressed glass items adorned with the Finnish lion coat of arms, provincial coats of arms and pictures of great men in their product ranges. These products enabled Finns to express their patriotism by means of toddy glasses, sugar bowls, creamers and glass saucers, among other everyday items. The pressed-glass method was used to bring to the market a large number of drinking glasses adorned with reliefs depicting Finnish great men, such as Elias Lönnrot, J. V. Snellman, J. L. Runeberg and Zachris Topelius. The first of these to see production was the glass carrying Elias Lönnrot's likeness in 1903. The lion coat of arms and provincial coats of arms decorated the saucers of many glass manufacturers. Items, such as sugar bowls, creamers and even milk jugs, could also sometimes feature coats of arms as decorations. In addition to the Finnish lion and the provincial coats of arms, the national landscape of the Imatrankoski Rapids was immortalised on the side of a glass. These products enabled the middle class to obtain items for the coffee table that were more affordable than silver and crystal. The items in the exhibition were manufactured by the Karhula, Iittala, Nuutajärvi, Wiiala and Riihimäki glass factories between 1890 and 1948. The Iittala glass factory produced the first Aina and Suomi plates in 1901. Thereafter, the factory launched a sugar bowl, creamer and glasses adorned with the lion motif. Ivar Wilskman, the man who has been dubbed the father of Finnish sports, appeared on a glass in 1914. His glass was the first to be manufactured to honour a living person. Next in line was C. G. E. Mannerheim - the Commander-in-Chief in the Finnish Civil War and, later, the first regent of the independent Finland - whose portrait was featured in the glass that Iittala began to manufacture in 1920. Due to its rarity, the glass is now a sought-after collector's item. The exhibition was put together by the Museum of Central Finland, largely based on Ambassador Risto Rekola's vast collection of glass items. The exhibition was on display in Jyväskylä from 21 April to 26 August 2012. Erkki Fredrikson's publication "Lasiin prässättyä protestia. Suurmieslaseja ja vaakuna-asetteja", which complements the exhibition, is on sale at the Museum Shop of the National Museum of Finland at € 10. The exhibition is open at the National Museum of Finland from 20 October 2012 to 31 March 2013, in room 215 on the museum's 2nd floor. Museum floorplans Museum opening times |
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From Advent Sunday to Christmas Day - Christmas feelings in the National Museum, 5 December 2012 - 13 January 2013 |
 Christmas cards from 1910s to 1930's. Photo: Irene Nurminen, National Museum of Finland
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A Christmas Exhibition has been opened at the National Museum of Finland. Exhibition illustrates the Finnish Christmas traditions from 18th century to 1970s. On display are Christmas decorations and place settings, Advent calendars, Christmas cards, Christmas trees, the Christmas table in Western Finland and Christmas in the Karelian chimneyless cabin from early 19th century and also Christmas at the manor from late 18th century. Many traditional Finnish Christmas dishes originated from early 19th-century West Finnish village banquets. The uniform tradition of Christmas fare in the 20th century is largely due to the press and home economics courses. Yuletide bread with butter, beer and porridge were elements of celebrating Christmas for centuries. The transfer of features of Kekri, the holiday marking the end of the crop season, to Christmas explains the important role of grain dishes, bread and beer, as well as meat for the Christmas table. Only the best was to be served and by eating a lot the participants sought to ensure the crop of the year to come. The Christmas tree came into widespread use in Finland in the early 19th century. The earliest recorded item of information on a Christmas tree in Finland is from 1829, when Baron O. W. Klinckowström is known to have had eight Christmas trees in his home in Helsinki. Christmas trees in Uusikaarlepyy in Western Finland are mentioned, for example, in author Zachris Topelius's diaries from 1837-1839. The first Christmas card was posted in England in the 1840s, and in Finland in 1871. The custom of sending Christmas cards rapidly spread in Finland in the early 1900s. The exhibition is open at the National Museum of Finland to 13 January 2013, in room 132 on the museum's 1st floor. |
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Ancient Shores - prehistoric and historic sites and finds from Satakunta in Finland and western Norrland in Sweden
5 June - 28 October 2012 |
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The exhibition presents prehistoric and historic sites and finds and life in Satakunta province in western Finland and in western Norrland province in Sweden, from Stone Age to 16th century. The Nämforsen rapids in Sollefteå, western Norrland in Sweden, are among the largest Stone Age rock carving sites in Northern Europe. On the cliffs of the Ångerman river rapids, over 2300 rock carvings have been made 6000-4000 years ago. Elks, people and boats are the most common subjects of the drawings dating from 4000-1800 BC. Satakunta province and particularly Nakkila commune in Finland are known for Bronze Age sites. From Rieskaronmäki Bronze Age dwelling site in Nakkila dating from 800-500 BC, bone material has been re-analysized in FinnARCH early cattle farming research project, funded by Academy of Finland. Based on the findings, some 3000 years old bones of sheep, cow and horse were found in Rieskaronmäki dwelling site in Nakkila commune, Satakunta province. These are the oldest cattle bones found in Finland. Also the oldest farm in Finland, from Bronze Age some 2500 years ago, has been documented on the same site. The exhibition is a part of the KulturBro project between Satakunta Museum in Finland and Murberget, Västernorrland County Museum in Sweden. Exhibition is open between 5 June and 28 October 2012, in room 132 on the museum's 1st floor. From December 2012 onwards the exhibition will be on display at Murberget Västernorrland County Museum in Härnosand, Sweden. |
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Dream Homes - Dollhouses at the National Museum of Finland
12 November 2010 - 2 September 2012 |
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The von Wright dollhouse was probably made by Carl Magnus von Wright in the late 19th century. He was the nephew of the well-known von Wright artist brothers. Photo: National Board of Antiquities / Jan Lindroth.
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The exhibition features thirteen dollhouses from the collection of the National Museum of Finland, spanning a period of some 150 years in the history of dollhouses from the middle of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century. They display changes in the history of these toys, both structurally and in their interior decoration. Until the beginning of the 20th century, dollhouses reflected the domestic environments of the affluent middle class or the upper classes in a society in which stratification was distinct and emphasized. For children on their way to adulthood, dollhouses echoed the world of grown-ups. Rare items are a few silver object for dollhouses made in the 17th and 18th centuries. |
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Architect C. L. Engel. My home in Helsinki - my heart in Berlin.7 March - 29 April 2012 |
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 Portrait of C. L. Engel (1778-1840) by
J. E. Lindh dates from 1830s. Photo: Senate-properties. |
Emperor Alexander I of Russia appointed German born Carl Ludvig Engel (1778-1840) to design Helsinki's, the new capital, central street plan and its most important state and administrative buildings. The exhibition is produced by The Cultural Centre G18 in Helsinki and illustrates the private side of the famous 19th century architect. All Finns are familiar with the name C. L. Engel, but this exhibition is an opportunity for all visitors to discover more about the man and his life, including his family, home and beautiful gardens. The exhibition also showcases Engel's key architectural works, town plans, maps and watercolours. The exhibition recreates C. L. Engel's private residence at Bulevardi 18-20 in Helsinki. On display are e.g. the drawing-room, the parlour, the kitchen and the bedroom, with furniture, glass, porcelain, jewellery, silver and textiles. The exhibition draws on a wide variety of sources, including the Engel household's fire insurance documents from 1834, a will and an auction house minute from 1840 as well the architect's personal correspondence, where he describes his thoughts and feelings regarding the buildings he designed. His most famous work in Helsinki is the Senate Square and the buildings surrounding it. From 1816 onwards he designed more than twenty neo-classical buildings, among them nationally important landmarks: the Cathedral, the Senate Building (now the Palace of the Council of State), the National Library and the University. The entirety has maintained its neoclassical appearance until now. The square is the monumental centre of Helsinki. The exhibition is a part of the jubilee year "Helsinki 200 years as capital". Read more on website held by City of Helsinki http://www.helsinki200.fi/en In Russian: http://www.helsinki200.fi/ru/kontakty The exhibition "Architect C. L. Engel. My home in Helsinki - my heart in Berlin" is on display from 7 March to 29 April 2012 at the National Museum of Finland, in room 010 at the museum ground floor. |
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Marked on Rock - Photographs of Prehistoric Rock Paintings in Finland17.6.-18.9.2011 |
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 Hand print on the rock at Astuvansalmi, Ristiina. Photo: Ismo Luukkonen Rock painting at Haukkalahdenvuori, Enonkoski.Photo: Ismo Luukkonen Rock painting at Kolmiköytisienvuori, Ruokolahti.Photo: Ismo Luukkonen |
The Exhibition is in Kierikki Stone Age Centre till 30 November 2012. Address: Pahkalantie 447 A, 91200 Yli-Ii, Finland. Open Mon-Fri 10-16. www.kierikki.fi An exhibition of Finnish prehistoric rock paintings has been opened at the National Museum of Finland. The exhibition compiled of photographer Ismo Luukkonen's images showcases often hard-to-reach prehistoric rock paintings. The exhibition has photographs of 50 rock painting sites, both of the paintings and the rocks used as canvases. The red colour in the paintings has been enhanced in the photographs to make the images faded by time stand out better. The age of the rock paintings has been determined to be approximately 7,000 - 3,500 years based on changes in the bodies of water caused by land uplift. This means that the paintings date from the Stone Age, mainly the Comb Ware period some 4,200 - 2,000 BC. The rock paintings are seen to be connected with the beliefs and world view of Stone Age hunter-gatherers. Even if they are difficult to decipher, rock paintings are an important direct source of information on the belief system of the Stone Age people. The latest research emphasises interpretations based on the shamanism of northern peoples. Photographer Ismo Luukkonen has worked with rock paintings since 1994. The project, originating from his own interest, lead to a post as the photographer for the National Museum's EU-funded documentation project in the years 2001 to 2005. The images in the Marked on Rock exhibition have been selected and reworked from material accumulated over 17 years. Work on the rock paintings has been supported by the National Board of Antiquities, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and the National Council for Photographic Art. Press photos on photographer Ismo Luukkonen's web page Further information on the exhibition is provided by: The Artist's home page: The "Marked on Rock - Photographs of Prehistoric Rock Paintings" exhibition is held between June, 17 and September 18, 2011, in the exhibition rooms 128 to 130 on the 1st floor of the museum. |
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WANTED - ARMFELT
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 G. M. Armfelt at the age of 44, painted by Joseph Grassi in Dresden 1799-1801.
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Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (1757-1814) is one of the most colourful characters of Finnish history. His fate led him from the battlefields and the courts of Europe to exile in a dismal small town in South Russia. He was also one of the best-known Finns of his time, whose achievements were followed in newspapers in Stockholm and Paris alike. He was a favourite of King Gustav III of Sweden, and in the early 1810s he gained the confidence and trust of Emperor Alexander I of Russia. The collection of over a hundred personal items owned by G. M. Armfelt provide a glimpse of the world that surrounded him, in Stockholm, in exile in Italy, banished to Kaluga in Russia, as the Swedish minister to the Court of Vienna, and at his home manor of Joensuu in Halikko, Southwest Finland. For more information about the exhibition, please contact: Curator Mr. Jouni Kuurne, tel. + 358 (0)9 4050 9310 during office hours, e-mail: jouni.kuurne (at) nba.fi Exhibition Secretary Ms. Hanna Forssell, tel. + 358 (0)9 4050 9553 during office hours, e-mail: hanna. forssell (at) nba.fi
The exhibition "Wanted - Armfelt. An Officer in the Service of a King and an Emperor" is on display in rooms 132-131 on the first floor of the museum, between 20.11.2009 and 30.1.2011. |
Exhibition publication in Finnish, with English Summary 39 pages |
Risen from the Ashes,The Church of St. Olaf in Tyrvää12.5.2010 - 14.11.2010 |
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Kuutti Lavonen's and Osmo Rauhala's paintings at the Church of Saint Olaf in Tyrvää.
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The exhibition presents the restoration and reconstruction of the church after it had been destroyed by the arson fire 21 September 1997. This project involved volunteer work that aroused considerable attention and interest. Exhibition is closed in the National Museum. Opens 8 December 2010 in Häme Castle. Read more here http://www.nba.fi/en/hame_castle The exhibition Risen from the Ashes, The Church of Saint Olaf in Tyrvää is on display on the ground floor of the museum, from 12 May 2010 till 14 November 2010.
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Riccardo Perrone,Senza titolo - molto da dire19.10.2010 - 31.10.2010 |
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Italian language week is celebrated for the 10th time worldwide 18.10.-24.10.2010. Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Cultural Institute) in Helsinki marks this week by organizing, in cooperation with the National Museum of Finland and Galleria Contempo, Riccardo Perrone's Exhibition Senza titolo - molto da dire in the National Museum of Finland. Riccardo Perrone is a 56-year-old Italian painter. He received his artistic training in Florence, and he lives and works in the medieval town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Perrone is an interpreter of Italian modern art, master of the use of color and composition. His works are in private and public collections around the world. The Exhibition Riccardo Perrone, Senza titolo - molto da dire is on display in rooms 127, 128, 129, 130 on the first floor of the museum 19.10.-31.10.2010. |
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Kuutti Lavonen - Osmo Rauhala,
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Simon of Cyrene Helps Christ Carry the Cross, Kuutti Lavonen. Photo: Rauno Träskelin.
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This exhibition displays studies and sketches by Kuutti Lavonen and Osmo Rauhala for the Church of Saint Olaf in Tyrvää. The artists carried out the painted decoration of the church interior in the years 2004 -2009 in their own contemporary manner. This bold decision has received many prizes. The second part of the exhibition Risen from the Ashes, The Church of Saint Olaf in Tyrvää opened on the ground floor of the museum on 12 May 2010. It presents the restoration and reconstruction of the church after it had been destroyed by the arson fire 21 September 1997. This project involved volunteer work that aroused considerable attention and interest. For more information, please contact: Director General Helena Edgren, tel. (09) 4050 9547 helena.edgren(at)nba.fi, and Exhibition Secretary Hanna Forssell, tel. (09) 4050 9553 hanna.forssell(at)nba.fi The exhibition Kuutti Lavonen - Osmo Rauhala, Sketches for works in the Church of St. Olaf in Tyrvää is on display in rooms 127-130 on the first floor of the museum, between 26 March 2010 and 12 September 2010. The second part of the exhibition Risen from the Ashes, The Church of Saint Olaf in Tyrvää is on display on the ground floor of the museum, between 12 May 2010 and 12 September 2010. |
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Icons and People in the War Years12.6.2009 - 31.1.2010
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This exhibition compiled by Valamo Art Conservation Institute features icons that were evacuated and collected as memorabilia from Finnish and Russian Karelia during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War of 1939 -1940 and the Continuation War of 1941-1944. The whole range of Karelian folk piety is on display, with prints of images of the saints alongside old, darkened tempera-painted icons. In addition to icons the exhibits include letters, photographs, a notebook and publications. There are several icons from the collections of the National Museum of Finland now on display for the first time as a collection related to the war years. Exhibits are also on loan from the Orthodox Church Museum, the New Valamo Monastery and private individuals. Icons and People in the War Years also presents individuals who helped rescue a large number of icons from Karelia, Dvina and Olonets. They include Hieromonk Paavali, later Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Finland; the ethnologists Tyyni Vahter, Helmi Helminen and Sakari Pälsi; the author Olavi Paavolainen; Bertel Hintze, a prominent figure of the art world in Finland; and the art historian Lars Pettersson, who was later Professor of Art History at the University of Helsinki. The themes of the exhibition are complemented by a richly illustrated book with articles by Katariina Husso MA, Adjunct Professor Kari Kotkavaara, Dr. Žanna Belik, art expert Vladimir Sokrailin and art conservators Helena Nikkanen and Nina Rusakova. The book is on sale at the Museum Shop of the National Museum. The exhibition is on display in room 010, on the ground floor until 31.1.2010. |
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1809 ~ A Kingdom Divided and a New Beginning.
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The National Museum of Finland in Helsinki together with the Royal Armoury in Stockholm produces a joint exhibition 1809 ~ A Kingdom Divided and a New Beginning. The Bicentenary of the Finnish War. The exhibition will tell not only about the war in 1808-1809 between Sweden and Russia, but equally about the period preceding the war and immediately after it. It will focus also on the society before the war and the changes the war caused in Finland, as she became a part of the Russian Empire. The year 2009 will mark the bicentenary of the War of 1808-1809 and the separation of Finland from Sweden. The exhibition will not focus solely on military events. The underlying reasons for the conflict and its ramifications will be in focus, with reference to Finland's role as part of the Kingdom of Sweden, Napoleon's power-political aims which led to the last war fought between Sweden and Russia, and the changes caused by the separation in both Finland and Sweden. The exhibition also explores the memory of the war and the fate of its veterans. The exhibition will include an additional programme with numerous items. The bicentenary exhibition will be produced by the National Board of Antiquities/National Museum of Finland in association with the Royal Armoury in Stockholm, where it will be on display from June 2009 until the end of 2009. The exhibition will be on display till 19.4.2009 in the museum's central hall and in rooms 127-132 on the first floor of the museum. For further information please contact: Exhibition Secretary Ms. Satu Frondelius, mobile phone + 358 (0) 50 63838, tel. + 358 (0)9 4050 9259, e-mail: satu.frondelius(at)nba.fi |
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The Fascination of Porcelain - Russian Porcelain from the Collections of the National Museum of Finland.
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 A gilt Russian porcelain cup from 1820-30's. Popov Porcelain Factory, Gorbunovo village, province of Moscow. Photo: The National Board of Antiquities/Rauno Träskelin. |
On show is a selection of some 200 objects from the museum's large collection of Russian porcelain, dating from the 18th century to the Soviet era. This exhibition has been produced jointly by the Vera Saarela Foundation and the National Museum. The exhibition also features a series of works by photographer Anne Hämäläinen exploring the atmosphere of the palaces of Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk. Most of the Russian porcelain in the National Museum of Finland has been received from private donations. The porcelain collection gained international status through a bequest from Kalle Saarela (1902 - 1974). The Saarela donation comprised approximately 150 Russian porcelain items along with West European porcelain. Kalle Saarela also established a foundation that has provided funds for additions to the donated collection, which has now grown to approximately twice its original size. Russian porcelain is a distinct entity in the National Museum's collections. The personal histories of the collectors and their relationship with Russia also tell of the various stages of Finnish-Russian coexistence. In addition, the collection provides an overview of the history of porcelain manufacture in the Russian empire, to which Finland was joined as a result of the War of 1808-1809 between Sweden and Russia. The early stages of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, founded in St. Petersburg in 1744, are represented by a dessert plate from the private service of Empress Elisabeth, tableware from the 1760s from the service of Prince Grigory Orlov, the favourite of Catherine II, and rare figurines designed by Jean-Dominique Rachette in the 1780s, among other items. The only private porcelain factory that gained an established position in the 18th century was the Gardner works, established north of Moscow. The present exhibition includes a large number of its products. During the Soviet era new political ideals found expression also in the forms of porcelain, which were traditional as such. The series of popular figurines - of street vendors, peasants and artisans - continued in the 20th century with new and contemporary ideal types. The impressive porcelain urns bearing the portraits of President Urho Kekkonen of Finland and the cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Herman Titov were received by President Kekkonen as gifts on state visits to the Soviet Union. A book has been published in connection with the exhibition: "Venäläinen posliini. Collection Vera Saarela ja Suomen kansallismuseon kokoelmat." Written by Curator Elina Anttila, PhD. Summary in English. Richly illustrated, 215 pages, hardback, price 25 e. Order here |