Karelianism
Encyclopedia
Karelianism was a late 19th century cultural phenomenon
in the Grand Duchy of Finland
and involved writers, painters, poets and sculptors. Since the publishing of the Finnish national epic Kalevala
in 1835, compiled from Karelia
n folk lore, culture spheres in Finland
became increasingly curious about Karelian heritage and landscape. By the end of the 19th century Karelianism had become a major trend for many works of art and literature in Finland. In the movement Karelia was seen as a sort of refuge for the essence of "Finnishness" that had maintained its authenticity
across centuries. The phenomenon can be interpreted as a Finnish version of European national romanticism.
The painters Akseli Gallen-Kallela
and Louis Sparre
are usually mentioned as the founders of the movement. They were soon joined by the sculptor Emil Wikström
, the writers Juhani Aho
, Eino Leino
and Ilmari Kianto
, the composers Jean Sibelius
and P.J. Hannikainen, the architects Yrjö Blomstedt
and Victor Sucksdorff, and many others http://www.juminkeko.fi/viena/en/karelianismi.html.
Later, towards the Second World War, some of the ideas of Karelianism were taken over by an irredentist movement aspiring to create a larger Finland. Thus some of the ideas put forward by Karelianism were used as a motivation to the proposal of a Greater Finland
, a single state encompassing many Finnic peoples.
Phenomenon
A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' or 'experiences'...
in the Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
and involved writers, painters, poets and sculptors. Since the publishing of the Finnish national epic Kalevala
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
in 1835, compiled from Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
n folk lore, culture spheres in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
became increasingly curious about Karelian heritage and landscape. By the end of the 19th century Karelianism had become a major trend for many works of art and literature in Finland. In the movement Karelia was seen as a sort of refuge for the essence of "Finnishness" that had maintained its authenticity
Authenticity in art
Authenticity in art has a variety of meanings related to different ways in which a work of art or an artistic performance may be considered authentic.Denis Dutton distinguishes between nominal authenticity and expressive authenticity....
across centuries. The phenomenon can be interpreted as a Finnish version of European national romanticism.
The painters Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic . His work was considered very important for the Finnish national identity...
and Louis Sparre
Louis Sparre
Count Pehr Louis Sparre was a Swedish painter, designer and draughtsman, most noted for his early work in the Finnish national romanticism and jugend styles...
are usually mentioned as the founders of the movement. They were soon joined by the sculptor Emil Wikström
Emil Wikström
Emil Wikström was a Finnish sculptor. Among his best known works are the statues outside Helsinki Central railway station and the memorials of Elias Lönnrot and Johan Vilhelm Snellman....
, the writers Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho, originally Johannes Brofeldt, was a Finnish author and journalist.Aho's literary output is wide-ranging since he pursued different styles as time passed....
, Eino Leino
Eino Leino
Eino Leino was a Finnish poet and journalist and is considered one of the pioneers of Finnish poetry. His poems combine modern and Finnish folk elements. The style of much of his work is like the Kalevala and folk songs. Nature, love, and despair are frequent themes in Leino's work...
and Ilmari Kianto
Ilmari Kianto
Ilmari Kianto , also known as Ilmari Calamnius and Ilmari Iki-Kianto, was a Finnish poet. He is best known for his books Punainen viiva and Ryysyrannan Jooseppi...
, the composers Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
and P.J. Hannikainen, the architects Yrjö Blomstedt
Yrjö Blomstedt
Yrjö Reinhold Emanuel Blomstedt, . He was a Finnish historian, PhD 1958. Blomstedt took part in the politics of the Finnish students 1963-65...
and Victor Sucksdorff, and many others http://www.juminkeko.fi/viena/en/karelianismi.html.
Later, towards the Second World War, some of the ideas of Karelianism were taken over by an irredentist movement aspiring to create a larger Finland. Thus some of the ideas put forward by Karelianism were used as a motivation to the proposal of a Greater Finland
Greater Finland
Greater Finland was an idea which was born in some irredentist movements emphasizing pan-Finnicism and expressed a Finnish version of pre-World War II European nationalism. It was imagined to include Finland as well as territories inhabited by ethnically-related Finnic peoples: Finns, Karelians,...
, a single state encompassing many Finnic peoples.