March of the Björneborg Regiment

The March of the Björneborg Regiment (also Finnish Soldiers in the War of 1808 – 1809) is a gouache painting by Finnish painter Albert Edelfelt completed in 1892.[1][2]

The March of the Björneborg Regiment
sv: Björneborgarnas marsch, fi: Porilaisten marssi
ArtistAlbert Edelfelt
Year1892
Mediumgouache
Dimensions126,5 cm × 96,5 cm (498 in × 380 in)
LocationSerlachius-museum Gösta, Mänttä, Finland
OwnerGösta Serlachius konststiftelse
Websiteserlachius.fi/en/albert-edelfelt-finnish-soldiers/
The March of the Björneborg Regiment
sv: Björneborgarnas marsch, fi: Porilaisten marssi
ArtistAlbert Edelfelt
Year1897–1900
Mediumgouache
Dimensions54 cm × 41 cm (21 in × 16 in)
LocationAteneum, Helsinki, Finland
OwnerMuseovirasto
Websitewww.kansallisgalleria.fi/en/object/388595

The painting depicts marching Finnish soldiers in a wintry landscape during the Finnish War fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Russian Empire from 1808 to 1809. As a result of the war, Finland was separated from the Swedish kingdom and annexed as an autonomous grand duchy of the Russian empire.[3]

The painting depicts the marching drummer boys of the Pori brigade, historically known as Björneborgs läns infanteriregemente [sv]. The subject of the painting is the poem of the same name included in the second part of J. L. Runeberg's The Tales of Ensign Stål, which was inspired by a piece of music known as Björneborgarnas marsch.[citation needed] Jean Sibelius composed a version of Björneborgarnas marsch for the unveiling of the painting in 1892, but this version was lost.[4]

There are two versions of the painting. The original one from 1892 is owned by the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation [sv] and found at the Serlachius Museum Gösta [fi] in Mänttä, Finland - it was bought in 1928 by Gösta Serlachius from Ida Aspelin-Haapkylä.[1][5] The second version hangs at the Ateneum in Helsinki, Finland.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Albert Edelfelt – Finnish Soldiers | Serlachius Museums | Pearl of the Month". Serlachius. 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  2. ^ a b "Finnish National Gallery - Work: The March of the Björneborg Regiment, original drawing for the Tales of Ensign Stål". www.kansallisgalleria.fi. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  3. ^ "Björneborgarnas marsch". Albert Edelfelts brev. Elektronisk brev- och konstutgåva (Albert Edelfelt's letters. Digital publication) (in Swedish). Maria Vainio-Kurtakko & Henrika Tandefelt & Elisabeth Stubb, Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. 2020.
  4. ^ HS, Vesa Sirén (2013-12-06). "Onko se Porilaisten marssi?". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  5. ^ tarja.haikara@serlachius.fi (2020-01-03). "Björneborgarnas marsch | Serlachiusmuseer | Månadens pärla". Serlachius (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-03-15.
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