Ferdinand von Wright (19 March 1822, Haminalahti, near Kuopio - 31 July 1906, Kuopio) was a Finnish painter (belonging to Swedish-speaking population of Finland) - He is best known for his landscapes and animal paintings, especially his detailed depictions of birds, but he also created still-lifes and portraits.[1][2]
Ferdinand von Wright was born at the village of Haminalahti in Kuopio, Finland. His ancestors included Scottish merchants who had settled in Narva during the 17th-Century. His father Henrik Magnus von Wright was a retired Major who owned the family estate, Haminalahden. He was the youngest of nine surviving children and was tutored at home. Two of his older brothers, Magnus von Wright (1805–1868) and Wilhelm von Wright (1810–1887), also became painters and illustrators. Following in their footsteps, he showed an early aptitude for art, developed during time spent hunting and exploring nature while making sketchbooks.[3][4][5]
He travelled to Sweden for the first time when he was fifteen, visiting Bohuslän Province with Wilhelm,[6] who was working as an illustrator for the zoologist Bengt Fredrik Fries (1799–1839).[7]
The following year, he went by himself to work for the Swedish amateur ornithologist, Count Nils Bonde, who had recently subsidized the publication of the multi-volume Svenska Fåglar (Stockholm: C. von Scheele. 1828), with illustrations by Magnus and Wilhelm.[8]
After a few months back in Finland, he returned to Sweden where, in 1842, he briefly studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts with the sculptor Johan Niclas Byström (1783–1848). He went home again in 1844, having been in Sweden for almost six years. Five years later, he went to Turku, where he took some additional lessons from Robert Wilhelm Ekman (1808-1873).[6][9]
Ferdinand von Wright, the artist's brother, Wilhelm von Wright, 1844Self-portrait, 1849–52
In 1852, he and his brothers went to Helsinki, where he set up a studio and began painting more detailed scenes, rather than individual animals. Six years later, he took a trip to Dresden, where he spent two months studying with the noted animal painter Johann Siegwald Dahl (1827-1902).[10][6] He then travelled to the Swedish island of Orust with Wilhelm, staying for a year.[11]
In 1863, he built a home near his family's estate, which he named "Lugnet" .[12] He lived there for the next twenty years, occasionally spending time with his sisters in Kuopio. In the early 1870s, he had several strokes and was often bedridden,[6] but continued to paint as much as possible. Eventually, he had to move out of the main part of his home and occupy two smaller guest rooms upstairs. He made his last trip in 1881, to Orust, visiting Wilhelm, who was also ill.
His work became more commercial after this and, in 1886 he produced his best-known painting titled The Fighting Capercaillies.[6] In 2006 it got third place in a public vote organized by Ateneum for Finland's "national painting",[13] and in a similar 2013 vote held by Nordic Moneta it was again voted third most significant.[14]
Portrait photograph from the 1880sFerdinand von Wright at Work, Arvid Liljelund, 1897
He also contributed articles to various ornithological journals. About this time, he received a state artists' pension.[12] Many former students came to visit and, in the late 1890s, the bird painter Matti Karppanen[fi] (1873–1953) stayed on to be his pupil and assistant. Slowly, he became more withdrawn and died in 1906.[15][16]
Georg Henrik von Wright was a Finnish philosopher.
Bengt Jönsson (Oxenstierna), (1390s–1450s) Swedish statesman and noble. Under the Kalmar Union, he served as co-regent of Sweden, from January to June 1448, together with his brother Nils Jönsson (Oxenstierna). Member of the Privy Council of Sweden from 1435, and magistrate of Uppland in 1439. Dubbed as knight by King Christopher of Bavaria following his coronation in 1441, and Master of the Royal Court from the same year.
Baron Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten (1727–1786) was a Swedish-Finnish army officer and politician, and half-brother of Georg Magnus Sprengtporten. He is most famous as one of the leaders of the Revolution of 1772, the coup d'état which ended the age of constitutional monarchy in Sweden known as the Age of Liberty and ushered in the period of absolute monarchy known as the Gustavian era.
Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt was a Finnish-Swedish-Russian courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one of the greatest Finnish statesmen. His advice to Russia's Tsar Alexander I was of utmost importance for securing the autonomy of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
Olof Rudbeck the Younger or Olaus Rudbeckius d.y. was a Swedish explorer, scientist, botanist, ornithologist and rector of Uppsala University.
Fredrik Pacius was a German-Finnish composer and conductor who lived most of his life in Finland. He has been called the "Father of Finnish music".
The Governor of Stockholm was the head of the Office of the Governor of Stockholm, and as such he was the highest Swedish State official overseeing the affairs in the City of Stockholm between 1634 and 1967. The Governor was the equivalent in Stockholm of a county governor elsewhere in Sweden.
Blanche of Namur was Queen of Norway and Sweden as the wife of King Magnus VII / IV.
Christian Eric Fahlcrantz Swedish theologian and author.
Bishop Benedict, Duke of Finland was a Swedish prelate bishop and duke.
Magnus von Wright was a Swedish-Finnish painter and educator. In addition to bird illustrations, he was also known for his landscapes. He was one of the four sibling von Wright artists.
The von Wright brothers were five Finnish brothers of whom three were noted artists - Magnus von Wright (1805–1868), Wilhelm von Wright (1810–1887) and Ferdinand von Wright (1822–1906). These ornithologists, scientists, nature illustrators and artists were born in Haminalahti near Kuopio in Finland. Magnus and Wilhelm von Wright began the illustrative work Svenska Foglar in August 1828. The work was financed by count Nils Bonde. The works was ready by 1838 and contains 178 lithographs.
Knut Magnus Enckell was a Finnish symbolist painter. At first, he painted with a subdued palette, but from 1902 onwards, used increasingly bright colors. He was a leading member of the Septem group of colorist painters. In Finland, Enckell is considered to have been a very influential symbolist artist.
Mathilda Wilhelmina Rotkirch was a Finnish painter. She is often referred to as the first female artist in Finland. She principally made portrait paintings.
Carl Johan Fahlcrantz was a Swedish painter.
Vivica Aina Fanny Bandler was a Finnish-Swedish theatre director and agronomist. She bought a theatre in Helsinki in 1955 and is credited for popularizing avant-garde Finnish theatre. She was also theatre director in Oslo (1967-69) and at the Stockholm City Theatre (1969-1979).
Wilhelm von Wright was a Swedish-Finnish painter and amateur naturalist.
Joseph Magnus Stäck was a Swedish landscape painter and art professor.
Petter Gabriel Wickenberg, known as Pehr was a Swedish painter and designer who specialized in landscapes with figures.
Pro Fide et Christianismo is a Christian association within the Church of Sweden. The organization was an "informal or semi-official national school board" prior to the founding of Sweden's public education system and made a significant impact on Sweden's early education system.
References
↑ Jukka Ervamaa. "Ferdinand Von Wright". Biografiskt lexikon för Finland. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
↑ Anttonen, Erkki; Pennonen, Anne-Maria (2017). Veljekset von Wright: Taide, tiede ja elämä. Kansallisgalleria. ISBN9789527067543.
Anto Leikola, Juhani Lokki and Torsten Stjernberg:
Von Wright -veljesten linnut (“The Birds of the von Wright Brothers”). Otava, 2003. ISBN951-118-037-1
Taiteilijaveljekset von Wright: Suomen kauneimmat lintumaalaukset (“The Artist Brothers von Wright: Finland's Most Beautiful Bird Paintings”). Otava, 1986. ISBN951-109-231-6
Wilhelm & Ferdinand von Wright dagböcker (journals). Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 2008. ISBN978-951-5831-37-8
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
From the Garden, Flowers and Birds, 1853–54
Capercaillies courting, 1862
Magpies round a Dead Woodgrouse , 1867
Mallards , 1874
Pigs and Magpies, 1875
Hazel Grouse Wallowing in Sand, 1877
Jays , 1877
The First Surprise, 1880
Ptarmigans , 1893
Partridges in Snow, 1895
Golden Eagle by a Lake, 1897
