In the Garden of Haminalahti

In the Garden of Haminalahti is one of Finland's best loved works of art. The Haminalahti estate was home to the von Wright brothers. Many of Ferdinand's paintings depict dramatic scenes from nature, but here the overall mood is that of bourgeois serenity. The painting shows Ferdinand's sister and her children. The children are feeding tame birds and sheltering from the hot sun under a parasol. The bluish tinge of lake Kallavesi and the house Ferdinand was building, Lugnet (Peace), can be seen further in the distance. A fence separates this civilized way of life from the world outside. Efforts were being made at the time to deepen the feelings of the Finnish people for their land, specifically by promoting affinity with Finland's natural landscapes. But could it be that this painting is dear to us because we can identify with the people on this side of the fence?