Jaan Grünberg

The educational path of Jaan Grünberg most probably contained the best possibilities available in the first half of the century in Estonia: first of all Kristjan Raud, later already while studying in “Pallas” Konrad Mägi and Ado Vabbe and in the second half of the 1920ies the favourite teacher of all Pallas students – Paris. There he concentrated a decade later on the monotype, becoming quickly one of the most skilful artists, using this technique.
For Jaan Grünberg, “One of the most oustanding colourists of Estonia” (Hilja Läti), monotype was obviously one more possibility to study the states of minds of colours. The current work belongs to the works that were accomplished during Grünberg’s exile period that are characterized by creating of stressed moods, which was seen and appreciated already in the works of Grünberg from the 1930ies. An especially sharp eye for colours can create here with modest and exact means a strenuous atmosphere that tells us of being away and also of strange state of anticipation.