Ann's Finnish family

This is the Family Simberg called together for a portrait around 1888.

My mother's family is from Tampere, 200 kilometres north of Helsinki. My father's family lived in Viborg, until that part of Finland became part of Russia in World War 2. I was born in Helsinki. I have two brothers: Kaj, my younger brother lives in Kirkkonummi, near to Helsinki. He has a smallholding, which includes an apple orchard. He keeps his own bees and he sells apple trees, fruit and wild flower seeds. He also cultivates Bonzai trees, which he sells. And he gives regular lectures on cultivation to local nature groups (Here he is with my mother and father on his land.)

Jan, my eldest brother (below left), is a qualified draughtsman and, until he retired, had a computer business in Helsinki, where he still lives with his wife, Marjatta. He recently co-authored a book on Niemenlautta, which was a summer residence of Hugo Simberg, for a number of years. Jatta is originally from Suoniemi. She worked as a skilled seamstress and was an active member of the union that represented her trade On the right is a photo  of their two sons, Alf and Jon celebrating Jon's Birthday with a traditional Finnish cake. Alf trained as an artisan in drawing. He represented Finland in the World Crossword Competition in Zagreb, in the former Jugoslavia. He's now a freelance designer of crossswords, and sells to all the major Finnish newspapers. Jon trained as an IT specialist and worked in his father's shop for a number of years, and his continuing to train and develop within the fast changing world of computing.

My Aunt, Uhra Ehrström, 1914-79, a textile artist, represented Finland with the largest rug made at International art festivals. Below, left, is the rug. 

My grandfather, Hugo Simberg, 1873-1917, an artist and painter, decorated the Tampere Cathedral. He is known as a symbolist and was a student of Axel Gallen-Kallela, Finland's national painter. On the right is a sample of his work. It is called The Wounded Angel. The original is a fresco in Tampere Cathedral. This version, in oil, was painted in 1903 and is now in the Museum of Finnish Art, Ateneum, Helsinki.

 

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Finnish National Gallery - Art Collections - Simberg, Hugo

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