Lemminkäinen's Mother 1897

"Lemminkäinen's Mother" (1897) by Akseli Gallen-Kallela is a powerful depiction of a scene from the Finnish epic poem, the Kalevala. The painting portrays Lemminkäinen's mother mourning over her son's body, which has been dismembered and scattered across the underworld. The artist utilizes a dark and somber palette, emphasizing the tragedy of the scene. The image evokes a sense of grief and despair, reflecting the themes of death, resurrection, and the power of a mother's love present in the Kalevala. The painting, now housed in the Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland, is a key example of Gallen-Kallela's interest in Finnish mythology and his ability to translate these narratives into powerful visual form.