Books by Susanna Pettersson
Nordic Women Sculptors at the Turn of the 20th Century Formation, Visibility, Self-Creation, 2022
In the nineteenth century, sculptures were considered to be important building blocks of a nation... more In the nineteenth century, sculptures were considered to be important building blocks of a nation. Sculptors were in high demand and therefore it was important to organise possibilities for local studies, as well as further studies abroad. The art education within the Finnish Art Society’s Drawing School, created in 1848, was the leading authority for fine arts education in Helsinki - and became a central player when educating the generations of artists. This article discusses the possibilities of the early woman sculptors in Finland.
Encouraging Collections Mobility - A Way Forward for Museums in Europe provides information about... more Encouraging Collections Mobility - A Way Forward for Museums in Europe provides information about the history of collections and suggests different ways to approach museum collections and collecting related activities. It proposes that museums should rather be encouraged to build collection strategies of the 21st century than repeating the old pattern that is based on the idea of eternal growth. Whereas most of the articles provide a philosophical context for the collections and their use, the book also addresses the practical issues concerning collections mobility, such as immunity from seizure, insurances, non-insurances, and state indemnities, long term loans, loan fees, and digitisation. It as also pointed out that standards, trust and good networking form the basis for all co-operation. The book pulls together current good practice in developing loans procedures and sets it out in a clear format.
Pettersson, Susanna ja Kinanen, Pauliina (eds.), Suomen museohistoria.
Pettersson, Susanna (ed.), Tulevaisuuden taidemuseo. Museologia 3.
Suomen Taideyhdistyksestä Ateneumiin. Fredrik Cygnaeus, Carl Gustaf Estlander ja taidekokoelman roolit.
Levanto, Marjatta & Pettersson, Susanna (eds.), Valistus / Museopedagogiikka /
Oppiminen.
Lumoutuneet. Tarinoita taiteen keräilystä 1800-luvun Suomessa.
Papers by Susanna Pettersson
Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm
This article discusses new acquisitions to the collection of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm: paintings... more This article discusses new acquisitions to the collection of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm: paintings by Finnish painters Magnus von Wright, Emma Gyldén and Maria Wiik.
Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum is published annually and contains articles on the history and the... more Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum is published annually and contains articles on the history and theory of art relating to the collections of the Nationalmuseum.
Also published in Sointu Fritze (ed.), Alvar Aalto-Art and the Modern Form. Ateneum Publications ... more Also published in Sointu Fritze (ed.), Alvar Aalto-Art and the Modern Form. Ateneum Publications Vol. 93. Helsinki: Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, 2017, 48-69. Transl. Wif Stenger The exhibitions organised by the Artek gallery enjoy an almost iconic status in the field of Finnish art. These exhibitions were bold and ambitious. The idea behind them was to bring together modern art, industry, interior design and 'propaganda', by which was meant publishing activity. The exhibitions also left a lasting mark on Finnish art and on the Ateneum art collection. 'Europe-its symbol could be […] an airplane above a cathedral. America-its symbol is an airplane above a skyscraper. In the latter picture, there is perfect harmony. In the first there is not. The former represents the present day. The latter, the future.' 1 It was with these words that the writer Olavi Paavolainen, in his book Nykyaikaa etsimässä (In Search of Modern Time), published in 1929, expressed...
First published in Renja Suominen-Kokkonen (ed.), The Challenges of Biographical Research in Art ... more First published in Renja Suominen-Kokkonen (ed.), The Challenges of Biographical Research in Art History Today. Taidehistoriallisia tutkimuksia (Studies in Art History) 46. Helsinki: Taidehistorian seura (The Society for Art History in Finland), 64-73, 2013 __________ … "så länge vi på vår sida göra allt hvad i vår magt står-den mår vara hur ringa som helst-för att skapa ett konstorgan, värdigt vårt lands och vår tids fordringar. Stockholm i December 1874. Redaktionen". ('… as long as we do everything we can-however little that may be-to create an art body that is worth the claims of our countries and of our time. From the Editorial staff, Stockholm, December 1874.') 1 These words were addressed to the readers of the first issue of the brand new art journal Tidskrift för bildande konst och konstindustri (Journal of Fine Arts and Arts and Crafts) published in Stockholm over two years in 1875-1876. One of the founding members of the journal was the Finnish academic and cultural activist Carl Gustaf Estlander (1834-1910), whose professional ambitions fit well into the picture. I will argue that Tidskrift för bildande konst och konstindustri provided the Nordic editors of the journal with a platform to manifest their concept of art history. They developed a method of communicating the contents through a specific set of articles. The journal was a perfect 19thcentury example of a project showcasing the development of a profession in the making and the use of professional networks. For Estlander, this was a gateway to the Nordic and North European art-historical discourse, and strengthened his position as the leading Finnish art historian of his time. Dynamic challenger In the early 1870s, Estlander was in his forties. He had published his first major art history book, De bildande konsternas historia (History of the Fine Arts), in 1867. He taught aesthetics and literature at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He was the secretary of the Finnish Art Society, becoming its chair in 1878. He was also a founding member of the Society for Arts and Crafts. He brought art into public debate by publishing newspaper articles and was one of the founders of the Finnish newspaper Helsingfors Dagblad (1862). He also founded a Finnish art journal called Finsk Tidskrift (Finnish Journal) in 1876. 2 1 'Sibelius, sauna and sisu' is used as an idiomatic compound. Its reference is to the cultural determination of Finnish identity, sometimes used ironically. Examples: in popular culture, the chart hit of the Kivikasvot ensemble entitled Made in Finland (Tankeros love) 1975; in an academic context, the title of a seminar 'Sibelius, sauna ja sisu! Suomen maakuvan historiaa' ('Sibelius, sauna and sisu! History of the Finnish national image'), University of Helsinki 16 April 2009, or the title of a thesis Sauna, sisu ja Sibelius. Jean Sibeliuksen konstruoidun säveltäjäkuvan muodostuminen musiikkikirjallisuudessa ('Sauna, sisu and Sibelius. The formation of the constructed image of Jean Sibelius in music literature'), Lantto 2013. 2 Study commissioned by the Finnish Cultural Foundation Suomalaisten näkemykset kulttuurista. Vaikuttuneisuus taiteilijoista ja tyylisuunnista ('Finnish Views on and Engagement in Culture and the Arts'). The survey questions related to 32 pre-selected artists. 3 Suomalaisten näkemykset kulttuurista. Vaikuttuneisuus taiteilijoista ja tyylisuunnista, 35.
Producing an Art History of the Nation
National Museums, 2014
The new painting
Showcases the works of Finnish artist Elina Brotherus, winner of the Carnegie Young Artist Award ... more Showcases the works of Finnish artist Elina Brotherus, winner of the Carnegie Young Artist Award 2003 and France's prestigious Prix Niepce 2005.
Nordisk Museologi, 1970
The following article addresses a paradox that lies at the heart of every public art collection. ... more The following article addresses a paradox that lies at the heart of every public art collection. The public nature of the institution leads one to assume that collections are compiled on what might be called «public principles.» Thus the selection process is supposed to be «objective», while also being guided by «good taste.»
Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm, 2021
Fanny Churberg (1845–1892) and Maria Wiik (1853–1928) are
examples of Finnish 19th-century women ... more Fanny Churberg (1845–1892) and Maria Wiik (1853–1928) are
examples of Finnish 19th-century women artists with strong and
promising careers. Churberg was known for her dramatic landscapes, painted according to the best Düsseldorf tradition, and Wiik specialised in intimate portraits and genre paintings. The Nationalmuseum’s latest
acquisitions, Churberg’s A Forest Stream, Study (c. 1871) and Wiik’s SelfPortrait (c. 1886) strengthen the collection of Nordic women artists.
This report analyses the growth of the Finnish museum scene from its early beginnings in the nine... more This report analyses the growth of the Finnish museum scene from its early beginnings in the nineteenth century through to the big national museum organizations: the Finnish National Gallery, the National Museum of Finland and the Natural History Museum. The timeframe is particularly interesting due to the historical setting: when the first initiatives to form national collections saw the light of day, the country was in the midst of political turmoil. Separation from Sweden had taken place in 1809, and Finland, as a Grand Duchy of Russia, was searching for a new identity. The nation-building process, driven by Swedish-speaking academics, artists and politicians, was visible in all sectors, from the fine arts to literature, history writing and science. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, language-policy issues divided the field into two separate camps. Favouring either the Finnish or Swedish language became a political matter. When the country gained independence from Russia ...
This book is the result of the European funded project, Collections Mobility 2.0, Lending for Eur... more This book is the result of the European funded project, Collections Mobility 2.0, Lending for Europe 21 st Century. We are particularly indebted to the project's coordinator , Frank Bergevoet and office manager, Dieuwertje Wijsmuller, for their excellent leadership and management of the project. Our thanks also go to the members of the project Steering Group (Hillary Bauer, Frank Bergevoet, Marjolein Cremer, Hans Feys, Leticia de Frutos Sastre, Henrietta Galambos, Ilie Ilonut, and Sofia Tsilidou) and to all others who participated in the Steering Group meetings for all the indispensable support and sound advice that we received.
Also published in Sointu Fritze (ed.), Alvar Aalto -Art and the Modern Form. Ateneum Publications... more Also published in Sointu Fritze (ed.), Alvar Aalto -Art and the Modern Form. Ateneum Publications Vol. 93. Helsinki: Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, 2017, 48-69.
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Books by Susanna Pettersson
Papers by Susanna Pettersson
examples of Finnish 19th-century women artists with strong and
promising careers. Churberg was known for her dramatic landscapes, painted according to the best Düsseldorf tradition, and Wiik specialised in intimate portraits and genre paintings. The Nationalmuseum’s latest
acquisitions, Churberg’s A Forest Stream, Study (c. 1871) and Wiik’s SelfPortrait (c. 1886) strengthen the collection of Nordic women artists.