Artwork
Lehmiä, luonnos
Lehmiä, luonnos is a photography by Venny Soldan-Brofeldt. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the Järvenpää Art Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1913 by Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, this oil sketch depicts a pastoral scene of cattle in a field. The work is executed with a loose, energetic approach, emphasizing movement and atmosphere over detail. Its informal nature suggests it was made outdoors, capturing a fleeting moment in the landscape. The composition centers on the animals, arranged naturally within the open space.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a quiet rural moment: cows resting and standing in a grassy field. There is no human presence, and the animals are shown without idealization, their forms grounded in observation. The focus on livestock reflects a quiet reverence for everyday rural life, common in Nordic art of the period. The scene conveys stillness without sentimentality, rooted in the rhythms of nature.
Technique & Style
Soldan-Brofeldt applied thick layers of oil paint using bold, visible brushstrokes, a technique known as impasto. Warm tones of ochre, burnt sienna, and golden yellow dominate, contrasted by muted greens and a pale, washed-out sky. The texture of the paint enhances the tactile quality of fur and grass, while the rapid handling suggests direct observation under changing light conditions.
History & Provenance
The work is part of a series of sketches made during the artist’s time in rural Finland, likely during summers spent away from urban studios. It was not intended for public exhibition but served as a study for larger compositions. Its survival reflects its value to the artist as a record of form and light, later preserved in private and institutional collections.
Context
Created in the early 20th century, this piece aligns with broader Nordic trends favoring direct engagement with nature over academic formalism. Artists like Soldan-Brofeldt turned to rural subjects as a counterpoint to industrialization. The sketch’s immediacy echoes influences from French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, adapted to the subdued light and quiet landscapes of Finland.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited during her lifetime, this sketch contributes to understanding Soldan-Brofeldt’s evolution as a painter who valued sensory experience over polished finish. It exemplifies how Finnish artists of the era used informal studies to deepen their connection to the land. Today, it is recognized as a quiet but significant record of her observational practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Wendla Irene Soldan-Brofeldt, known as Venny (2 November 1863, Helsinki – 10 October 1945, Lohja) was a Finnish painter, illustrator, graphic artist, wood sculptor and jewelry designer.
