Konrad Vilhelm Mägi (1 November 1878 – 15 August 1925) was an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n painter, primarily known for his landscape work. He was one of the most colour-sensitive Estonian painters of the first decades of the 20th century, and Mägi's works on motifs of the island of

Saaremaa Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring . The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and west of Muhu island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago. The capital of the isla ...

are the first modern Estonian nature paintings.

Life and works

Mägi received his elementary art education from the drawing courses of the German Artisans' Society of Tartu (1899–1902.) At the same time, he was keenly engaged in theater, violin, and various sports. Mägi continued his art education as an unattached student in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

(1903–1905), studying under

Amandus Adamson Amandus Heinrich Adamson (12 November 1855 in Uuga-Rätsepa, near Paldiski, Estonia, then Russian Empire — 26 June 1929 in Paldiski, Estonia) was an Estonian sculptor and painter. Life Born into a seafaring family, Adamson excelled in wood ca ...

. In the autumn of 1907, he went to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. There Mägi studied at a free academy. From 1908 to 1910, he lived in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. In 1912, Mägi returned to Tartu, where he worked as an art teacher. In

Åland Åland ( fi, Ahvenanmaa: ; ; ) is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations. It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1,580 km2, and a populat ...

, he created delicate plant vignettes in the style of Art Nouveau: ''Kahekesi'' (''Two together''; 1908; China ink drawing). In Paris, Mägi was influenced by

Impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...

and Fauvism, which had a significant impact on his colours: ''Lilleline väli majakesega'' (''A flower field with a little house''; 1908–1909), ''Norra maastik männiga'' (''A Norwegian landscape with a pine''; 1910). From 1918, the influence of Expressionism is manifest, fostered by Mägi's extreme sensitivity and emotional response to the anxious times: ''Pühajärv'' (''Lake Püha''); (1918–1920), ''Otepää maastik'' (''Landscape of

Otepää Otepää (formerly Nuustaku) is a town in Valga County, southern Estonia, it is the administrative centre of Otepää Parish. Otepää is a popular skiing resort, popularly known as the "winter capital" of Estonia (in contrast to the "summer c ...

''); (1918–1920). Also influenced by Expressionism are his big figure compositions ''Pietà'' (1919), ''Kolgata'' (''Golgatha'') (1921). Mägi's new artistic period, begun on a trip to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, brought calmer tempers: ''Varemed Capril'' (''Ruins in Capri''; 1922–1923). Along with nature pictures, he painted flowers and portraits. Mägi's mostly beautiful female models express the Art Nouveau ideal of beauty: ''Holsti'' (1916). In his later portraits from the 1920s, a more serious temper is expressed: ''Madonna'' (1923–1924).

Gallery

File:Magi4.jpg, Portrait of a Woman (1908) File:Magi Lilleline väli majakesega 1909.jpg, Flowery Field with Little House (1909) File:Konrad Mägi Norra maastik.jpg, Landscape of Norway (1908-1910) File:Magi2.jpg, View of a Mansion (ca. 1910) File:Maastik kellatorniga. konradmagi.jpg, A Landscape with a Bell Tower (1913-1914) File:Mägi, Konrad. Landscape of Vilsandi.1913‒1914. Tartu Art Museum.jpg, Landscape of

Vilsandi The island of Vilsandi, Saaremaa Parish, Saare County, Estonia is located in the Baltic Sea. It covers an area of some 9 square km and is the westernmost populated island in Estonia. The surrounding waters are shallow and rocky and many ships trav ...

(1913-1914) File:Konrad Mägi - Maastik punase pilvega - õli.JPG, Landscape with a Red Cloud (1913-1914) File:Konrad Mägi - Vilsandi motiiv - 1913-1914 õli.JPG,

Motif (1913-1914) File:Saaremaa etüüd.jpg, Rannamaastik ''(Beach landscape)'' (1913-1914) File:Konrad Mägi - Maastik kividega 1913-1914.JPG, Landscape with Rocks (1913-1914) File:Konrad Mägi. Teel Viljandist Tartusse. 1915-1916.jpg, On the Road from

Viljandi Viljandi (, german: Fellin, sv, Fellin) is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,407 in 2019. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major Estonian cities, Pärnu and Tartu. ...

to Tartu (1915-1916) File:Saaremaa motiiv.jpg, Motif from

(date unknown) File:Capri - KMägi.jpg, Capri Island (1922-1923) File:KONRAD MÄGI 1922-1923 Itaalia maastik. Rooma.jpg, Italian Landscape. (1922-1923) File:Veneetsia1.jpg, Venice (1922-1923) File:Magi veneetsia.jpg, Venice (1922-1923)

References

External links

Konrad Mägi
Official homepage
Works by Konrad Mägi
at the Art Museum of Estonia {{DEFAULTSORT:Magi, Konrad 1878 births 1925 deaths People from Elva Parish People from the Governorate of Livonia Art Nouveau painters Modern painters Expressionist painters 19th-century Estonian painters 19th-century Estonian male artists 20th-century Estonian painters 20th-century Estonian male artists

Life and works

Gallery

See also

References

External links