A bequest to expedite the conservation of Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s fresco sketches

Having his work featured at the Paris Exposition was among the pinnacles of Gallen-Kallela’s career 

One of the highlights of Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s (1865–1931) international career was his prominent role in the Finnish pavilion at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Gallen-Kallela painted the frescoes in the pavilion’s cupola, and in addition to Gallen-Kallela’s art, the event featured works by Albert Edelfelt, Eemil Halonen, Juho Rissanen and Venny Soldan-Brofeldt. After the exposition, the pavilion was dismantled. The original frescoes no longer exist, but their sketches have been kept in the collection of the Finnish National Gallery.

Completed in 1899, Gallen-Kallela’s sketches for the frescoes consist of four parts. The conservation of the works takes time, which is why the Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien exhibition will only feature the work Heathendom and Christendom. The other parts, Ilmarinen Ploughing the Viper-Field, The Defence of the Sampo and The Forging of the Sampo, will be on display as part of the exhibition as enlarged images.

“The frescoes are the first example of monumental art realised in a public space in Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s body of work. At the time of the Paris Exposition, Gallen-Kallela became interested in the Vienna Secession and participated in the movement’s exhibitions in Vienna in 1901 and 1904”, says the curator of the exhibition, Ateneum’s chief curator, Anu Utriainen.

“The fresco sketches, painted on paper, are in a fragile condition. During conservation, the works will be thoroughly examined in terms of painting techniques and materials used. The examination helps to expose the drawings under the gouache, as sketched by the artist. The old backing of the painting will also be replaced using new materials, which will improve the durability of the work. Finally, the work will be re-framed in a more durable way”, says Ilona Osara, paper conservator at the Finnish National Gallery.

In 1928, Akseli Gallen-Kallela painted Kalevala-themed frescoes on the ceiling of the central hall of the National Museum of Finland, largely based on the frescoes he had created for the Finnish Pavilion in Paris.

Donations enable the development of operations

“We are extremely grateful for the donations we have received. In 2022, we received an exceptional bequest of more than one million euros for the development of our museum and exhibition activities. Thanks to that bequest, we have been able, for example, to offer more free-admission days and to hire a producer to plan activities for our increasingly diverse audience”, says Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff, director of the Ateneum.

The largest financier of the Finnish National Gallery is the Ministry of Education and Culture. With the help of donations from companies, organisations and private individuals, the Finnish National Gallery and its museums can offer an even wider range of art experiences, for example, for children and young people.

Read more about donating to art

Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien
26 September 2025–1 February 2026

The exhibition will explore how Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s art developed in interaction with international modernists, such as Gustav Klimt and Koloman Moser. The Vienna Secession movement, which was founded under the direction of Klimt, and which set out to reform art, was united by an interest in developing a new identity, promoting a modern way of life, and creating large public works of art. The exhibition will bring Gustav Klimt’s paintings to Finland for the first time. In addition to paintings and drawings, the exhibition will feature photography and design, including everyday objects, jewellery and fashion.

Read more about the exhibition