Ellen Thesleff: The Finnish Artist Who Painted Like a God

Growing Up in a Musical Family

Born in Helsinki on October 5, 1869, Thesleff came from a family where art was everything. Her father, Alexander, was an amateur painter who taught all six children to paint. The family was musical too—Ellen could sing beautifully and play piano. This wasn’t your typical Victorian household. The Thesleffs were bohemian, encouraging creativity over convention.

Thesleff’s artistic talent showed early. At just 16, she enrolled at Adolf von Becker’s painting school in Helsinki, studying alongside future stars like Helene Schjerfbeck and Akseli Gallen-Kallela. These weren’t just classmates—they would become the giants of Finnish art.

The Breakthrough That Changed Everything

In 1891, Ellen Thesleff painted Echo—a simple portrait of a young woman calling out in morning light. The painting was accepted for exhibition and became an instant success. That same year, she packed her bags for Paris, the art capital of the world.

At the Académie Colarossi in Paris, Thesleff dove headfirst into the Symbolist movement. She studied under masters like Gustave Courtois and Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret. But she always claimed her biggest influence was Édouard Manet.

Italy: Her Second Home

In 1894, Thesleff first visited Italy, and it changed her life. She fell in love with Florence’s light and Renaissance masters. For the next 45 years, she would return regularly, claiming Italy taught her “the true nature of light, how it lays down on objects, how it animates everything around”.

In Florence, she met Edward Gordon Craig, the British theater personality. Their friendship was extraordinary—they wrote letters in four languages: German, French, Italian, and English. Craig taught Thesleff wood engraving, adding another skill to her artistic toolkit.

The Rebel Who Dressed Like a Man

Ellen Thesleff was a rebel in every sense. She chopped off her hair in a boyish cut and wore men’s clothing—trousers, jackets, and caps. This was shocking in the 1890s. When she painted outdoors, people sometimes mistook her and her sister Gerda for young boys because of their petite frames and unconventional dress.

She wasn’t just challenging fashion—she was challenging the entire art world. While other women painted flowers and still lifes, Ellen Thesleff painted landscapes and portraits like her male colleagues. She had no interest in “feminine” subjects, deliberately choosing the same themes as men.

Life at Casa Bianca: Between Luxury and Poverty

The Thesleff family estate at Murole became Ellen’s creative sanctuary. After her father died in 1892, they built a white villa called Casa Bianca according to Ellen’s plans. The villa buzzed with activity during Ellen’s early years. The family hosted masquerades, concerts, and plays. Thesleff had her own studio and painted on a nearby island. Her family protected her creative time fiercely—no one could enter her studio without permission.

But later years brought poverty. Ellen Thesleff and her sister Gerda lived so simply that, the story goes, beggars who came to their door turned away after seeing their shabby appearance. The sisters slept on straw mattresses placed on boards. Yet they maintained small luxuries—waffles had to be served with wild strawberries, and Thesleff always kept her beloved Italian red wine.

The Artistic Evolution

Thesleff’s art went through dramatic changes. She started with pale, mysterious Symbolist paintings influenced by Eugène Carrière. Her self-portrait from 1894–1895, done in pencil and sepia ink, became a masterpiece of Finnish art.

But Italy transformed her palette. After 1900, her paintings exploded with color and movement. She painted people in motion—working, dancing, playing sports. Her brushstrokes became bold and expressive, embracing the new Expressionist movement.

In her final years, Thesleff pushed toward pure abstraction. Her late paintings were built with rhythmic brushstrokes and pure color. She never stopped experimenting.

Recognition and Awards

Ellen Thesleff achieved remarkable success during her lifetime. She won a bronze medal at the 1900 Paris world’s fair. She exhibited across Europe—in Florence, Moscow, Paris, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg. Her greatest honor came in 1951 when she received the Pro Finlandia medal from Finland’s president. This was the highest award the country could give an artist.

The Lonely Final Years

After her sister Gerda died in 1939, Ellen lived mostly alone at Casa Bianca. The villa was falling apart—one visitor’s contractor took one look and said she was being brave, as he’d leave if he were her.

Thesleff moved to Helsinki’s Lallukka Artists’ Home in 1933, where she had a studio. She kept painting until the late 1940s, maintaining her artistic fire well into her eighties.

A Life Lived Fearlessly

Today, Ellen Thesleff stands as a testament to the power of artistic independence. Her boyish haircut, men’s clothing, and bold declarations might have shocked her contemporaries, but they inspire us now. From her breakthrough with Echo in 1891 to her abstract experiments in the 1940s, Thesleff never stopped pushing boundaries. She showed that great art comes from living honestly and reminds us that the most important thing any artist can do is stay true to their vision—and paint like a god.