Forest Landscape 1895

Eero Järnefelt made this Forest Landscape using watercolor. It is a traditional painting material, yet its intrinsic properties have influenced the atmospheric feeling of the artwork. The qualities of the watercolor – transparency, fluidity – have allowed Järnefelt to achieve this sense of the forest as a whole. The painting seems to echo the ecological system it depicts. The artist’s light washes create a sense of depth, layering trees upon trees and giving the impression of an endless expanse of woodland. This forest seems less like a collection of individual trees, and more a mass of vegetation. In considering this artwork, it is interesting to remember that forests, while ostensibly natural, are often maintained for timber, and as sites for recreation. Järnefelt has represented a very Finnish scene. And yet, by showing us this managed landscape, he also subtly reminds us of the complex relationship between humans and nature.