Visual arts | Tove Jansson’s painting was sold for almost 400,000 euros

Artist Tove Jansson’s the painting was sold at an auction in Helsinki on Sunday for an exceptionally high price. Was on sale at Bukowski’s Spring Sale auction The windows of the studio -titled work from 1965 caused a fierce bidding competition.

As a result, the painting increased its starting price sixfold. In the end, 383,800 euros were paid for it, which is the highest amount paid for a Tove Jansson work at Bukowski’s auction. The previous record price was 170,842 euros, which was called for in 2021 for Jansson’s work Self portrait from 1943.

The windows of the studio in his painting, Jansson depicts an atmospheric moment in a studio apartment. In the foreground of the work is a Viennese chair, which often appears in Jansson’s other works. The chair is placed in front of a statue of a female figure.

“The light from the high arched windows makes the view seem almost limitless in the room, and the church towers and the roofs of the neighboring houses seem to belong to the interior. The red hanging canvas symbolizes the creative period the artist experienced in the 1960s, when he painted large and colorful, often largely abstract compositions,” the auction announcement describes.

Moomin stories the creator is nowadays increasingly known also as a painter. HS wrote in 2021 about how interest in his works has grown. The war years were Jansson’s (1914–2001) most productive time as a painter. He made dozens of flower arrangements and city views, which sold well. Works from this prolific period are now up for auction.

In Bukowski’s spring sale on Sunday, there were also other items on sale by Helene Schjerfbeck work Vanamoita from 1886. The work was bought for 220,252 euros. There was also a trade from 1885 existent by Ferdinand von Wright Forests and meadows in a winter landscapewhose final price was 55,004 euros.

Among the international works, the highest sum was called for a Spanish one Eduardo Chillida (1924–2022) of the work Lurra 77. It went to the new owner for 136,075 euros.

Read more: The prices of Tove Jansson’s paintings are skyrocketing – In 2020, the works of many Finnish artists were sold for record sums