Erik Sigfrid Enroth

Erik Sigfrid Enroth was the son of a Finnish woman and an unknown Cossack from the Don region. He studied at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts from 1938-45. In the following twelve years he continued his studies at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and the Académie André Lhote in Paris, as well as the Accademia di belle arti di Firenze. As a teacher Enroth worked at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1951 and at the Finnish Academy of Arts for three years from 1965.

His first wife was Sara Hildén (1949-1962), a businesswoman and art collector. The museum named after her holds an extensive collection of Enroth’s works. Enroth was one of the most important artistic personalities during the Finnish post-war period and was considered a powerful painter with a bright color palette.

After World War II, his cubist-inspired style developed into an expressionist direction. His subjects were people from working life, the world of the circus and sports. In addition, Enroth also created still lifes, cityscapes and landscapes, as well as monumental paintings. He also published a collection of poems, Songs of the Bugler. In 1963 he was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal.

At the Helsinki exhibition Enroth presented the oil paintings Field and Track Athletics, Ice Hockey Player and On the Shore. The latter is shown in the Official Report.