From Mittens to Köler. The Birth of the Museum’s Collection 21/09/2024 – 02/03/2025

The exhibition explores the history of the collection of the Art Museum of Estonia from its foundation in 1919 until World War II. At that time, the collection included not only works of art but also farm objects, traditional handicrafts and other cultural artefacts. Alongside the ethnographic items, the exhibition features a selection of paintings, prints and sculptures that entered the museum’s collection during the inter-war period, some of which are being shown for the first time. These works can now be seen in their former home at Kadriorg Palace, where the museum was located after the establishment of the Republic of Estonia.

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While a typical art exhibition centres on artworks and artists, this exhibition shifts the focus to how and when the works arrived at the museum. In addition to older artworks, the museum collected contemporary art, mainly from local art exhibitions. The exhibition includes works from renowned Estonian artists, such as Johann Köler, Konrad Mägi and Nikolai Triik, as well as early pieces by emerging talents of the time, such as Eduard Wiiralt, Aleksander Vardi and Karin Luts.

The display also features five porcelain plates from the permanent collection of the Latvian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. These were purchased for the museum in 1928 from an exhibition of the Latvian porcelain painting workshop Baltars in Tallinn. In 1979, the plates were transferred to the Latvian National Museum of Art in return for several sculptures by August Weizenberg and Amandus Adamson. Alongside the works of art, the exhibition shows a selection of items from the approximately 10,000 ethnographic objects originally held by the former Tallinn Estonian Museum, which are now in the collection of the Estonian National Museum. Thus, the exhibition traces the evolution of the museum from a general museum with a diverse collection to a specialised art museum, now collecting artworks from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The exhibition is dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the Art Museum of Estonia.

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Curators: Ulrika Jõemägi, Kersti Kuldna-Türkson and Kristiina Tiideberg
Exhibition design: Liina Unt
Graphic design: Diana Yanson
Exhibition team: Liis-Marel Aak, Isabel Aaso-Zahradnikova, Kaarel Eelma, Pärtel Eelma, Darja Jefimova, Hedi Kard, Ninni Kilpelä, Juta Kivimäe, Kaie Kukk, Aleksander Meresaar, Marit Must, Kerttu Männiste, Grete Nilp, Alar Nurkse, Maarja Paesalu, Villu Plink, Triin Raag, Eneli Raal, Tarmo Saaret, Stanislav Stepaško, Laura Tahk, Uve Untera and Helen Volber

The works on display are from the following museums: the Art Museum of Estonia, Estonian History Museum, Estonian National Museum, Latvian National Museum of Art and Saaremaa Museum

We thank: Ann Aaresild, Tatjana Enok, Karl-Erik Hiiemaa, Ülle Jäe, Priit Kivi, Maire Kuningas, Dace Ļaviņa, Silli Peedosk, Velta Raudzepa, Eva Reinberk, Mirjam Ruutma, Krista Sarv and Kadri Vissel