I write in margins

In 2010 Finland's National Brand Committee lead by former Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila presented its paper to a former Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb. The committee stated proudly that Finland was the forerunner of democracy since Finnish women became the first in the world to have unrestricted rights both to vote and to stand for parliament. But something was left out from the report. Something which was part of the Finnish Social Policy in many decades of the 20th Century. In many countries this would be called slavery. And this is something which is quieted story of the Finnish history. A modern time slavery. Finnish historician Jouko Halmekoski writes about the modern slave market which was the fact in Finland as late as in the 1950's. He interviewed 25 persons who had been auctioned away by the local government in order to save money in sustaining the children. The lowest bidders won the custody of the child for one years period. Ironically the auction was held in the 29...

Edvard Munchs wine and spirit bottles are found reports Norwegian Broadcasting Company NRK earlier today. This artist -whose painting "The Scream" became the most expensive painting ever sold in an auction* - proved to be the real artist. All bottles were empty when found. Archaelogists wish to find out how Munch had it live in Nedre Ramme farm where the artist spend his live from 1910 until his death in 1944. Thinking of the amount of the empty bottles, something can be concluded very easily. Edvard Munch's painting The Scream was sold for $120m at a Sotheby's auction in New York in May 2012. Owner of the Ramme farm and the financer of the archaeological excavation is the very same Petter Olsen who sold the painting in the auction. Edvard Munch was here. Photo: Petter Olaisen/NRK Related links: NRK: Graver fram Edvard Munchs vin- og spritflasker Sotheby's- The Scream

The painting hanging on the wall of the country house has always intrigued me. Definetly it belongs to the mid 19th early 20th Century tradition of horse paintings. Horse art became a major genre in the British decorative painting in the 19th century. Themes by equestrian and hunting horses and scenes became very popular - and also owners of great horses wanted their animals painted. Also the first class French artists like Degas, Delacroix and Manet contributed to the scene. However the most visible - as a cultural phenomenon - were hundreds and hundreds of paintings by English artists like Ben Marshall, John Frederick Herring and many more which produced paintings as their main artistic theme. Often scenes of the horses were presented in Romantic landscapes. One sub-niché of this popular theme were to portrait horses and dogs together. It took of with the fox hunting scenes to the typical stall pictures which is presented in the picture in our wall. Dog and horse resting in t...

Joulu tuo juhlista pakanallisin lähestyy. Monella jouluisilla perinteillä on juurensa muualla kuin länsimaisessa kristillisessä perinteessä. Asia tuli mieleeni, kun otin äsken valokuvaa kahdesta olkipukista. Pukki ei johdata meitä seimen ääreen, vaan se on vanha pohjoismaiseen perinteeseen liittyvä hedelmällisyyden symboli. Talven pimeän selkä katkesi talvipäivänseisauksen aikaan ja valo voitti pimeyden. Aurinko herättää maan ja viljan. Pukki tehtiin viljasta ja poltettiin hedelmällisyyden ja viljasadon turvaamiseksi. Toinen teoria liittää olkipukin [syntipukin] pimeän aikaan liikkuneisiin piruihin, joita Suomessa myös tontuiksi kutsuttiin. Tontut äityivät julmiksi ja pahoiksi juuri talvipäivänseisauksen aikaan ja olkipukit vetivät piruja sisäänsä magneetin tavoin - ja talossa olevat ihmiset ja huusholli säilyivät pirun metkuilta. Pimeän taituttua pukit sitten poltettiin piruineen tunkiolla.  Niin tai näin, Gävlen kaupungin asukkaat (ja muutamat turistitkin) ovat pitäneet ...