Maria Wiik

(1853–1928)

Thistles, 1898

This pastel and gouache painting by Maria Wiik was the first artwork that Juhani Kirpilä bought with his own money. He acquired it in 1954, at the age of 23, from Konstsalongen Art Gallery in Helsinki, with pay from his summer internship at Kivelä Hospital. In the early days of his collecting career, Juhani favoured figurative art, and he bought many works by women artists throughout his life. In this work, Wiik depicts a harsh weed with a soft and delicate touch. The paper shines through in some patches and the edges have partly been left uncovered.

Photograph by Rauno Träskelin