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 a small town close to Helsinki. He is striving for self sufficiency by building up a smallholding with fruit trees. (Here he is with my mother and father on his land.) Jan, my older brother, runs a computer business.

My mother's family tended to work in building and construction in Tampere. My father's family within art, crafts, theatre, military and local government.

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

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 frescoe in Tampere Cathedral. This version, in oil, was painted in 1903 and is now in the Museum of Finnish Art, Ateneum, Helsinki.

For a look at all Hugo Simberg's work visit the  Finnish National Gallery

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