FNG Research: FNG Resources

With around 40,000 artworks the Finnish National Gallery collection comprises significant archival resources: artists’ letters, individual artists’ papers, art galleries’ or communities’ archives etc.

From January 2017 the FNG Research magazine is introducing and updating information about the collection’s selected holdings. By doing so we wish to encourage researchers and students of art history or cultural history internationally to undertake new research topics related to Finnish and Nordic art and artists, making use of our collections’ rich materials.

In order to encourage collaboration between our organisation and academic studies of art and art history, we also have a research internship programme focused on studies based on our resources. Call for reserch interns is announced each year in September in the issue 5 of FNG Research.

For further information and discussion please contact our experts and the members of the FNG Research Editorial Board via e-mail: fngr@nationalgallery.fi.

Suggested archival sources

Wäinö Aaltonen (1894–1966)

Photographic negatives of the artist Wäinö Aaltonen, of him at work and of his sculptures taken mainly by the Finnish photographer Aarne Pietinen (1884–1946).

Uuno Alanko (1878–1964)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, manuscripts of speeches, articles, and publications, account books, exhibitions, teaching; offices held in the art field, press clippings, photographs ; material relating to the ABC Drawing School 1937–1941, correspondence of the artist’s wife Martta Alanko.

Juhana Blomstedt (1937–2010)

Artist’s archive: note and sketch books, correspondence, exhibitions, photographs; sketch books also in the FNG art collection.

Mauri Favén (1920–2006)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, material on teaching, exhibitions, positions of trust, sketches

Markus Heikkerö (b. 1952)

A large collection of art works at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and archival material, including the so-called travel paintings.

Unto Koistinen (1917–1994)

Artist’s archive, material from 1945 onwards: correspondence, notes, press clippings, drawings, photographs.

Sinikka Kurkinen (b. 1935)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, press clippings, exhibitions.

Kauko Lehtinen (1925–2012)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, diaries, travels, exhibitions, press clippings, photographs; surrealism.

Arvo Makkonen (1894–1956)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, notes, sketches, exhibitions, press clippings, photographs.

Lars-Gunnar Nordström (1924–2014)

Artist’s archive: material from 1940s onwards, Nordström’s writings, correspondence, material on teaching, exhibitions, travels, photographs; constructive art.

Kalervo Palsa (1947–1987)

Large collection of art works, sketches and comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and artist’s archive: correspondence, diaries, exhibitions, photographs; Lapland.

Unto Pusa (1913–1973)

Artist’s archive: correspondence, note books, sketchbooks and sketches, material relating to public art, art competitions, exhibitions, teaching, press clippings.

Ossi Somma (1926–2020)

Large scrap books (60 pieces), put together by the artist, containing notes, photographs and press clippings both on Somma and on subjects he’s been interested in; sculpture, environmental art.

Eva Törnwall-Collin (1896–1982) and Marcus Collin’s (1882–1966) sketches and sketchbooks

Eva Törnwall-Collin: 24 sketch and note books and 56 sheets of drawings. Marcus Collin: 88 sketchbooks and 1,079 sheets of drawings; sketchbooks of Eva Törnwall-Collin’s parents and uncle. Related material e.g. from Paris and Karelia.

Archives of Art Galleries

Galerie Hörhammer, Helsinki: Gallery’s archive 1916–1990s.
Galleria Bakeliittibambi, Helsinki: Gallery’s archive 1996–2007.
Galleria Jangva, Helsinki: Gallery’s archive 1994–2016.

Monumental painting after the Second World War

Archival material e.g. in the Unto Pusa Archive and the Mauri Favén Archive

Museum History Project

Audio visual recordings of interviews with former and current museum professionals.