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Ester HeleniusProfile Portrait of a Woman Sitting on a Chair1916
1916
$1,161.26
£864.14
€990
CA$1,586.78
A$1,788.84
CHF 948.14
MX$22,053.67
NOK 11,525.80
SEK 11,078.13
DKK 7,531.38
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About the Item
A finely tuned oval drawing by the Finnish artist Ester Helenius depicting a young woman in profile seated on a chair. The room is suggested only by a diffuse background. Signed and dated Ester Helenius 1916 in the lower right. Charcoal and white gouache.
Ester Emmy Maria Helenius (1875-1955) was a distinguished Finnish painter and printmaker known for her bold color sense and mystical symbolism
She studied at the Finnish Art Society’s Drawing School from 1892 to 1898, under the mentorship of Helene Schjerfbeck and made her exhibition debut in Helsinki in 1896, followed by inclusion in Gösta Stenman’s salon in the 1920s.
Later she embarked on study trips across Europe—Italy, Spain, and Paris. In Paris (1910s–1930s), she attended Académie de la Grande Chaumière and Académie Colarossi, diving headfirst into Impressionist and colorist traditions
Influenced by French colorism and mysticism, she evolved from restrained realist folk motifs toward vibrant, symbolist-inflected works that included gothic interiors, harlequins, dancers, florals, and cathedral views .
In her earlier works she made delicate portraits and landscapes often tied to the Gulf of Finland region. For her later works she turned into vivid floral still-lifes, Parisian urban scenes, gothic church interiors, and enigmatic androgynous figures infused with theosophical and mystical undertones .
Known for her fascination with mysticism and theosophy, she presented dualities—both material sensuality and immaterial mystery in in her compositions. This portrait has a little from both her periods, a portrait with a somewhat mystic atmosphere.
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Exhibitions & Legacy
1938: Solo exhibition at Galerie A. Barreiro in Paris, her most significant career highlight .
2016–2017: Retrospectives of her work at Hämeenlinna Art Museum and Salon Art Museum in Salo, Finland. The Hämeenlinna show included over 230 works—paintings, prints, and drawings—many donated by Helenius herself.
2020–21: Participated in “Lallukka: Life in the Home of Artists” at HAM, Helsinki Art Museum
2021: Group show “Loving Women” at Pro Artibus in Ekenäs
2022: Featured in “Akseli Gallen-Kallela as a Mentor” at the Gallen-Kallela Museum
Collections & Museum Representation
Helenius’s works are held in prestigious public collections:
Finnish National Gallery
Helsinki Art Museum
Hämeenlinna Art Museum, which preserves her legacy extensively—thanks to her own donations and bequest
Nationalmuseum in Stockholm
In sum, Ester Helenius was a versatile and introspective artist whose journey from careful academic drawing to expressive colorist painting and mystical symbolism marked her as a unique voice in early 20th‑century Finnish art. Her works remain accessible in Finland’s most significant museum collections and continue to resonate in exhibitions commemorating Finnish women artists, Parisian color traditions, and theosophical art currents.
- Creator:Ester Helenius (1875 - 1955, Finnish)
- Creation Year:1916
- Dimensions:Height: 21.26 in (54 cm)Width: 16.34 in (41.5 cm)Depth: 0.79 in (2 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:In good condition with a few pinholes along the edge. Paper has turned a little brown. Presently in a passepartout. We will frame it shortly.
- Gallery Location:Stockholm, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2608216504012
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