Ilmarinen ploughing the Viper-field and The Defense of the Sampo 1928

Akseli Gallen-Kallela's “Ilmarinen ploughing the Viper-field and The Defense of the Sampo” is a mural that seems to burst forth from the wall. The way the figures are rendered, so loose and full of movement, it feels like the artist was really in the zone, letting the brush dance across the surface. Gallen-Kallela uses color to create a dreamlike feel, the palette earthy, yet vibrant. It's especially clear when you look closely at the viper field, the lines are almost calligraphic. Then look to the texture, where the brushstrokes are visible, and the paint seems thin, almost transparent in places, allowing the wall itself to become part of the image. It creates a sense of depth and adds to the ethereal quality of the piece. Gallen-Kallela, like Edvard Munch, grappled with representing folklore and national identity, while forging a path for modernism. It makes you think about how artists keep circling back to the same big questions, each adding their own voice to the conversation.