The Sigurd Frosterus Foundation Collection
The Sigurd Frosterus Foundation’s unique collection of early modern art has a new display in its dedicated Frosterus Gallery at Amos Rex. Showcasing some of the collection’s most important works from the first decades of the twentieth century, the new presentation allows the colours of the paintings to glow with renewed freshness and vibrancy. The exhibition also celebrates the publication of a new book on the Sigurd Frosterus Collection.
Sigurd Frosterus Collection consists primarily of post-impressionist works by international and Finnish artists from the beginning of the last century. Two painters who particularly stand out are Magnus Enckell and Alfred William Finch, each represented by more than ten works. Other featured artists include Sigrid Schauman, Paul Signac, Henry Edmond Cross, Théo van Rysselbergh, and Louis Valtat. The exhibition also sheds light on Sigurd Frosterus’s role in the acquisition of foreign artworks to Finland.
The redesigned exhibition is a collaboration between Amos Rex and the Sigurd Frosterus Foundation. The foundation’s primary mission is to maintain the collection and make the artworks accessible to the public. From the early 1990s, the deposited collection was on display at the Amos Anderson Art Museum, and since 2018 it has been on show at Amos Rex, with around 50 works on permanent view.
Collection Sigurd Frosterus
Edited by Sofia Aittomaa, Collection Sigurd Frosterus, pays tribute to the life’s work of the renowned architect and to the post-impressionist style in art. Produced in collaboration by SKS Kirjat, the Frosterus Foundation, and Amos Rex, the book is available in both Finnish and Swedish editions, which may be purchased at the Amos Rex Shop and the online shop.
Art collector Sigurd Frosterus
Sigurd Frosterus (1876–1956), an architect by profession, was a champion of rational architecture. His most famous buildings include the Stockmann department store in the heart of Helsinki and Tamminiemi, the former official residence of Finnish presidents, now a museum. In addition to industrial and commercial premises, Frosterus also designed residential buildings, some of the most notable examples of which are located in the Etu-Töölö district in Helsinki.
Sigurd Frosterus caught the inspiration for art collecting from the designer and architect Henry van Velde, who had an office in Weimar where Frosterus worked during 1903–1904, on the recommendation of artist Alfred William Finch. Through Finch and Magnus Enckell, Frosterus came into direct contact with the very latest painting trends of his day. The heart of Frosterus’s art collection was formed between 1905 and 1915, when he was working as an art critic and essayist. The collection reflects his profound understanding of European modern art in the early twentieth century. While the most significant works of the collection were acquired during those years, Frosterus’s enthusiasm for collecting continued throughout his life.
