GALLEN-KALLELA, Akseli
(b. 1865, Pori, d. 1931, Stockholm)

Forging of the Sampo

1893
Oil on canvas, 200 x 152 cm
Ateneumin Taidemuseo, Helsinki

This painting depicts a scene from Kalevala, a Finnish epic poem. Smith Ilmarinen is forging the magical mill called Sampo, a centrepiece in many of Kalevala's stories.