Abstract Sea 1963

Tove Jansson, the Finnish artist best known as the author of the Moomin books, made this oil painting titled Abstract Sea. It shows the Baltic sea. Painted in 1963, this work diverges from the lighthearted tales that made her famous. Jansson’s homeland, Finland, is surrounded by the Baltic Sea, an important trade route for the country, but also a site of historical conflict. The turbulent brushstrokes and dark palette evoke the awesome and sometimes threatening presence of the sea. Jansson was a member of the artistic community in Helsinki. She was interested in modernism and surrealism, styles that encouraged artists to express their inner feelings and challenge traditional ways of seeing. As a queer woman, she faced social constraints but expressed herself through her art and writing. Art history teaches us that the meaning of an artwork is never fixed. By consulting historical sources, we can better understand the complex relationship between an artist’s life, the social context, and the work itself.