I love this and the research that has gone into it. Many poets and artists at the time were influenced by the appearance of the works in Paris. The influence went a long way into the Romantics. Beautiful and daring at the time. X
Oh my gosh, what an absolute treasure! I'm thrilled that you've written about Gallen-Kallela and I can't thank you enough. And the pictures! I'm in heaven.
I first found him in the 1980s when I was researching for a book I'd received a grant for but never finished. (My shame.) I'm half Finnish and the book was about Finnish miners in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula in 1913. I wanted the Kalevala to have a prominent place in the book, using it as a mystical side note throughout.
I read the Kalevala twice, and fell in love with Gallen-Kallela's paintings. 'Lemminkäinen’s Mother' was the most stunning, and now I know why. I now know the background and it makes it even more special.
I had read that Tolkein had been influenced by the Kalevala, but I've also read that Longfellow had read it, as well, and loved the cadence so much he chose it for The Song of Hiawatha. It gave it the sound of Indian drums, but the beat actually came from Finnish runesingers who, before Finland had a written language, roamed across the country reciting the Kalevala while pounding on the strings of the Kantele, a crude instrument similar to a dulcimer.
Anyway, thank you so much for this. It's going into my 'save' file and I'll be going back to it often. ❤️
I love this and the research that has gone into it. Many poets and artists at the time were influenced by the appearance of the works in Paris. The influence went a long way into the Romantics. Beautiful and daring at the time. X
Art rabbit holes are my FAVORITE!
Oh my gosh, what an absolute treasure! I'm thrilled that you've written about Gallen-Kallela and I can't thank you enough. And the pictures! I'm in heaven.
I first found him in the 1980s when I was researching for a book I'd received a grant for but never finished. (My shame.) I'm half Finnish and the book was about Finnish miners in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula in 1913. I wanted the Kalevala to have a prominent place in the book, using it as a mystical side note throughout.
I read the Kalevala twice, and fell in love with Gallen-Kallela's paintings. 'Lemminkäinen’s Mother' was the most stunning, and now I know why. I now know the background and it makes it even more special.
I had read that Tolkein had been influenced by the Kalevala, but I've also read that Longfellow had read it, as well, and loved the cadence so much he chose it for The Song of Hiawatha. It gave it the sound of Indian drums, but the beat actually came from Finnish runesingers who, before Finland had a written language, roamed across the country reciting the Kalevala while pounding on the strings of the Kantele, a crude instrument similar to a dulcimer.
Anyway, thank you so much for this. It's going into my 'save' file and I'll be going back to it often. ❤️