An oil painting made by the creator of Moomins Tove Jansson, has been sold for a world record price of 108 000 euros.
Lot 99, Tove Jansson, “Katajanokalta” (1945). Size: 49 x 61 cm. Sold for 108 300 euros. Image: Auction House Helander, Erkki Laine.
The oil on canvas painting named “Katajanokalta” went to an anonymous bidder in the sale organized by Auction House Helander in Helsinki, Finland. The guide price had been 40 000 – 70 000 euros, but this was rapidly surpassed as the online auction progressed. The price smashes the 70 500 euro record paid for Jansson’s painting known as “Nature Morte” in 2020.
Mika Sirén, the broker and chief executive officer of Helander commented: “I knew that Jansson’s works would be sold at the higher price ranges, but the result was a positive surprise for us in all respects. Especially the “Katajanokalta” is not only a very fine painting of its time, it also has a good exhibition history. We are really proud of the results”
“Katajanokalta” is not only a very fine painting of its time, it also has a good exhibition history. We are really proud of the results”
The “Katajanokalta” painting went on display at the Tove Jansson memorial exhibition at Tampere Art Museum in 2002. Prior to that the piece was shown at the Tove Jansson centenary exhibition in 2014 held at Ateneum.
The actual winning bid (the hammer price) was 85 000 euros, but commission and other additional costs took the final price to 108 300 euros.
Jansson named the painting after the place it was painted at. The painting pictures the view of Katajanokka, a district in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
Another Tove Jansson piece was sold in the auction for a fantastic final price of 20 378 €. The mixed media work depicting a young woman was signed in 1932.
Item 46, Tove Jansson, mixed media, signed -32, size 23 x 14 cm. Sold fo 20 378 euros. Image: Auction House Helander, Erkki Laine.
ABOUT TOVE JANSSON
Tove Jansson (1914–2011)
Tove Jansson is one of the best known and most loved Finnish artists of all time. Jansson is also the most widely read Finnish author in the world. Jansson was a multitalented artist who is mostly remembered as the creator of the Moomins.
In fact Jansson was not only an author and an illustrator, but also a painter, a cartoonist and a comic strip artist. In addition to authoring Moomin books, she also published novels and collections of short stories.
Jansson painted a number of renowned murals and paintings and also illustrated some stories for other writers.
