Think that you may own a painting by Eero Järnefelt? We authenticate, appraise, research and issue certificates of authenticity (COA) and provide consultations for all paintings by Eero Järnefelt.

Eero Järnefelt was a Finnish realist painter and was born in Viipuri, Finland. His father, August Aleksander Järnefelt, was an officer in the Russian army and his mother was Elisabeth Järnefelt (née Clodt von Jürgensburg). He studied at the St. Petersburg Art Academy between 1883 and 1885, which is the same school Albert Edelfelt had studied at. Eero Järnefelt's sister, Aino Järnefelt, married to composer Jean Sibelius in 1892.

He went to study in Paris in 1886 where he became friends with Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Emil Wikström and Louis Sparre. He was inspired by the plein-air and naturalistic paintings by Jules Bastien-Lepage.

On a trip to Keuruu in 1889, he met actress Saimi Swan. They were married in 1890. His most famous painting is probably The Wage Slaves, 1893, which is about slash-and-burn agriculture.

Eero Järnefelt was especially inspired by nature in the Koli area, nowadays known as Koli National Park. Together with A.W. Finch and Ilmari Aalto, he painted a large scenery of Koli in 1911. It can be seen in the restaurant of Helsinki railway station.

Still wondering about a painting in your family collection? Contact us…it could be by Eero Järnefelt.