Verner Thomé

The light of the Finnish coast

Verner Thomé began his days in Alajärvi, part of the Grand Duchy of Finland. His early steps into the professional world were found at the Tilgmans Lithographical Company, where he worked on posters. This period of his life coincided with formal training at the Helsinki University Art School under Fredrik Ahlstedt and Albert Gebhard. He later sought further instruction at the drawing school of the Finnish League of Artists and moved to Munich to study at the Bavarian Royal Academy of Art between 1901 and 1902. During these years in Germany, his brush followed a realistic path, focusing on the precision of form under teachers like H. Zugel and Ludwig von Herterich.

The summers spent between 1903 and 1910 at Hogland, on the southern Finnish coast, brought a shift in how he saw the landscape. Alongside Magnus Enckell, he observed the sea and the sun. Travels to Paris, Spain, and Morocco in 1904, followed by time in Italy and southern France, altered his palette. The bright, clear light of these regions eventually settled into a style that used color contrasts to define shade. He became interested in how light could be captured through specific color relationships, a technique that showed traces of pointillism.

The Septem Group and Vitalism

In 1909, Thomé joined several other artists, including Magnus Enckell and Ellen Thesleff, to found the Septem Group. This collective was shaped by the influence of the 1904 Impressionist and Neo-impressionist Franco-Belgian Exhibition held in Helsinki. Their work drew from the ideas of Paul Signac and Henri-Edmond Cross. This period was also marked by the presence of Vitalism, a movement that brought a lighter palette to Finnish art, moving away from the heavier tones of National Romanticism. In these works, the male nude often appeared as a symbol of strength set against the natural forces of the sun and sea.

His later years saw a focus on different subjects and mediums:

• Portraits, such as his 1923 depiction of Judith Chydenius.
• Watercolor paintings produced between 1920 and 1950.
• Expressive landscapes that utilized a more varied range of color.

Later years in Helsinki

By 1922, his standing in the Finnish art community was recognized through his membership in the Fine Arts Academy of Finland. He continued to exhibit across Europe, with shows in Stockholm, St Petersburg, Copenhagen, and Gothenburg. In 1941, he received an honorary professorship. His work remains held in collections such as the Ateneum Art Museum, including pieces like Borely Park and Bathing Boys. He lived in Helsinki until his death in 1953.