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Kullervo Sets Off for War
Finnish: Kullervon sotaanlähtö
Gallen-Kallela's tempera version from 1901.
Artist	Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Year	1901
Medium	Mural & Tempera
Dimensions	355 cm x 687 cm (mural) 89 cm x 128 cm (tempera)
Location	Mural: Old Student House Tempera: Ateneum, Helsinki

Kullervo Sets Off for War (Finnish: Kullervon sotaanlähtö) is a painting by Akseli Gallen-Kallela from the year 1901. He painted the subject in tempera painting (89 × 128 cm) and as a fresco (355 × 687 cm) which is located in the music hall of Old Student House of Helsinki University.

Description

The fresco was donated to the Students' union by Otto Donner.

The theme for the painting is from the Kalevala, national epic of Finland. Kullervo sits on a white horse ready to ride to war, to take revenge on his uncle Untamo. He is followed by a dog or a wolf.

Gallen-Kallela traveled to Siena, Italy, where he likely saw the frescoes by Simone Martini in the Palazzo Pubblico. Martini's Equestrian portrait probably gave Gallen-Kallela inspiration for the setting of Kullervo.

Gallery

• 1897 sketch of the work by Gallen-Kallela
• Simone Martini, Equestrian portrait of Guidoriccio da Fogliano, c. 1330
• 1935 Finnish postage stamp featuring the painting

References

1. "Gallen-Kallela, Akseli Kullervon sotaanlähtö 1901". Finnish National Gallery. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
2. "Venues". Vanha Ylioppilastalo. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
3. "Invitation to opening ceremony 22.3.1901". Finna (in Finnish).
4. Kalevala: Songs 31–36 - The Kullervo cycle.
5. Sederholm, Helena (2 October 2013). "Kuvat syntyvät kuvista". Artenoux. Retrieved 12 May 2020.

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• Paintings in the Ateneum
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• Wolves in art
• 19th-century painting stubs