Flickan Med Hunden 1910

Eero Järnefelt painted "Flickan Med Hunden", or "Girl with Dog", in oils, but the exact date is unknown. It evokes the Finnish countryside and the nation's emerging identity. The painting's simplicity is striking; a young girl stands with her dog. Yet, it reflects deeper cultural values. Järnefelt was part of a generation of artists who sought to define Finnish identity through art. They looked to the rural landscape and its people, emphasizing simplicity and connection to nature, as seen in the girl's plain dress and the unadorned setting. Finland at the time was undergoing a period of national romanticism. Artists turned away from traditional academic styles to find inspiration in Finnish folklore and landscapes, which would become a feature of Finnish art institutions. Researching the cultural movements of the time, through archival documents and studies of Finnish art history, helps us understand how Järnefelt's work participates in the construction of national identity.