Imperatorskaâ hudožestvennaâ kollekciâ v Finlândii The imperial art collection in Finland

An excellent but little known art collection in the Presidential Palace. The art collection in the Presidential Palace is formed around the Imperial Art Collection. The collection is little known although it has 53 works representing the finest Finnish art in the second half of the 19th century. Certain pieces were acquired at the direct order of the tsar, particularly Alexander II, during whose reign many works were added to the Imperial Art Collection in St. Petersburg. Most of the works were destined for the Imperial Palace in Helsinki. Part of the collection was also placed in the Imperial Residence in Lappeenranta. The collection encompasses works by nineteen artists including Werner Holmberg, Victoria Aberg, Hjalmar Munsterhjelm, Walter Runeberg, Albert Edelfelt, Gunnar Berndtson and Akseli Gallen-Kallela.