Description: Unohdetut runot, Osa 3: Tuossa Tuonelan joessa
Forgotten poems, part 3: At the river Tuoni


My final degree work, part 3 of the three parts. The all three parts took me 8 weeks to finish. The first two weeks I was waiting for the correct paper I wanted. The last four weeks I was working daily and the last 21 days to the grand opening I worked literally about 12-16 hours per day . But this was worth it.

I love the way the dark river of Tuonela finally turned out. I wanted to make the painting calm. Tuonela is a place in Kalevala where the dead goes and to go there you one needs to cross river Tuoni.

Watercolours on paper
Frames: pinewood and wood stain
Size with the frame: 126 x 222 cm

The text in the painting is from Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. The English version can be found from the internet. Here is the part of the poem in the painting:

"Jo näkyi Manalan saari,
Tuonen kumpu kuumottavi.
Vaka vanha Väinämöinen
Jo huhuta huikahutti
Tuossa Tuonelan joessa,
Manalan alantehessa:
Tuo venettä, Tuonen tytti,
Lauttoa, Manalan lapsi,
Yli salmen saa'akseni,
Joen poikki päästäkseni!"

Kalevala, 16 runo, säkeet 157-166
Kalevala, 16th poem, verses 157-166