Önningeby is a village in Jomala Municipality on the Finnish island of

Åland Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the League of Nations, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area () and population (30,54 ...

. It is located some 7 km (4 mi) northeast of

Mariehamn Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city. It is mostly surrounded b ...

. Önningeby has 214 inhabitants (2014). In the south of Önningeby, Lemström's canal separates the municipalities of Jomala and Lemland. In the late 19th century, Önningeby became popular with artists wishing to practice painting ''

en plein air ''En plein air'' (; French language, French for 'outdoors'), or plein-air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein ai ...

'', i.e in the open air rather than in their studios. The

Önningeby artists colony Önningeby is a village in Jomala, Jomala Municipality on the Finnish island of Åland. It is located some 7 km (4 mi) northeast of Mariehamn. Önningeby has 214 inhabitants (2014). In the south of Önningeby, Lemström's canal separates the munic ...

was centred around the summer house bought by the Finnish landscape painter Victor Westerholm in 1884, and called by him Tomtebo. Since 1992, Ålands Konstmuseum (Åland's Art Museum) has presented a permanent exhibition of works by the artists who painted there. Presence of the artists' colony had a measurable impact on the village's life, not only culturally. Housing of visiting artists provided additional activity and income for the local inhabitants. The artists' colony dispersed at the beginning of the

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, when Westerholm abandoned Tomtebo. He returned there only in 1918, which still remains the family summer house. Lemström Canal was built in 1882. It significantly reduced the travel time between

Turku Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...

and

. In 1960 a monument of Victor Westerholm was designed by Wäinö Aaltonen in a park near the canal.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Onningeby Villages in Åland