Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931) was a Finnish painter. At the end of the 19^th century, he was joined with composer Jean Sibelius in a creative friendship focused on Finnish independence. Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 and gained its independence from Russia in 1917. Gallen-Kallela and Sibelius, both from families of high rank, were inspired by the struggle. They worked to portray a Finland free from foreign rule with works of Finnish folklore, landscape and identity. Both took patriotic actions including changing from Swedish to Finnish as their spoken language. They responded to each other’s work for a time.

En Saga was first a tone poem written by Sibelius in 1894. Gallen-Kallela did his En Saga tribute, a gouache and watercolor pairing, that same year with a portrait of the composer and a scene from Finnish mythology. Both are examples of Gallen-Kallela’s visual realism, symbolism and exquisite use of color. Possible differences in this friendship are represented by the blank portion. It was reserved for notes by Sibelius that he did not choose to add.

Artists look closely at the world around them and then do something in reaction to what they see and feel – beauty, protest, emotions across the human experience. This artist did many pieces of his beloved country. Most remain in Finland. His legacy and that of this friendship with Sibelius seem to ask us to pay close attention to the art of our times. What are the sounds and images proclaiming as gifts from the spirit, bidden or not?

We give God thanks for the perspective and passion of the artists among us. May they listen and create. May we listen and notice. Their notes and colors are the work of truth-telling; deepening meaning and attention; showing us their calling and asking us to know our own. May it be so. Amen.

In gratitude, faith and hope,