Article categories: Museums of Vaasa News
Rare masterpieces from the Golden Age of Finnish art on loan in Vaasa for six months
Published: 9.11.2026
Three major masterpieces from the Golden Age of Finnish art will be on display at the Ostrobothnian Museum, on loan from Turku Art Museum. For six months, visitors will have a rare opportunity to experience these remarkable works in Vaasa. Works by Gunnar Berndtson, Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Valle Rosenberg will join the Ostrobothnian Museum’s permanent collection display from 7 November 2026.
The loan is part of an exchange with Turku Art Museum, where an exhibition dedicated to Hugo Simberg currently features three works from the collections of Vaasa Museums.
Together, the works showcase different facets of the Golden Age of Finnish art. Gunnar Berndtson’s Summer (1895) is considered one of the finest works by one of the most technically accomplished artists in Finnish art history. The painting is also featured in the international publication 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die.
Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Evening Star (1901) is an impressive work from a fascinating period in the artist’s career. Valle Rosenberg’s Sunday (1909) boldly embraces the avant-garde.
– We’re particularly excited about Berndtson’s painting. The work is a popular highlight of Turku Art Museum’s collection, says Simon Holm, Curator at Vaasa Museums.
Complementing the loans from Turku, the display will feature an extensive selection of works by Valle Rosenberg from the Vaasa Museums collections. On display are a portrait of the painter Viktor Dalbo, who was born in Pirttikylä, as well as a selection of Dalbo’s own paintings. Alongside the works on display at the Ostrobothnian Museum, Rosenberg’s works can also be seen at the Tikanoja Art Museum.
The works on loan from Turku Art Museum will be on display at the Ostrobothnian Museum from 7 November 2026 to 7 March 2027.