Konrad Mägi

(1878-1925)

Saaremaa. 1913

Oil on cardboard. 38 x 48 cm (not framed)
Starting price 18 854 (sold)


Konrad Mägi "Saaremaa"

The creation of Konrad Mägi, despite its few examples, seems to be sufficient for everything. These are the works by Mägi, which are being used while talking of the earlier period of the Estonian art history: a number of monographies, several articles and single researches, an uncountable number of repreductions and so on. The creation of Mägi has by today become the business card of the first division of the Estonian art. He is the first and undoubtedly the most significant author, whose works simultaneously marked the birth of national art, beginning of the modern art, emerging of an independent artist’s personality, but also the skill, which until now has remained unique. He is the first author for reseachers, the most popular artist for the general public.
The life of Mägi has by today been so many times written down that adding of something new is more than difficult. Now we also know, how started the most significant period of the creation of Mägi, the series of his Saaremaa-works, where the artist’s improvisational approach found a free and at the same time professional expression. Mägi, having dealt in his youth with sports, but still having quite a poor health, went to a spa in Saaremaa. After the first summer in 1913 followed another in 1914, both times for a couple of months. We may guess that during the short stay, the majority of which took the daily routine of the sanatorium, were not accomplished a large number of works. Before the exhibition, which took place in 1914, Mägi himself writes: “The God has not blessed me much regarding the number of works”. This opinion has later been confirmed by researchers, claiming that there were “around twenty” Saaremaa-works by Mägi. The majority of them are by today in state funds.
But this is Saaremaa, where starts the new era of the creation of Mägi, when “we can talk of him in a more serious manner as of the depictor of the Estonian landscape”. Here his contact with the motif become “close and direct”, appear new “sensual tones, which became characteristic to Mägi in his later creation” (Evi Pihlak).
We are aware that Mägi wandered along the island and was fascinated by the poor and scanty nature, still painting it multi-coloured and powerful. Some of his works were painted only afterwards in the studio, some on the spot. He dated except for a few works none of his works and signed only those, which seemed to him the most successful ones. He worked impetuously, feverishly in a fascination, covering the works with thin layers of colour. “The series of Saaremaa paintings gives an unintentional impression as if they have been painted very eagerly, with a joy of discovering”, writes Evi Pihlak. Motifs of Mägi are at Saaremaa mainly low bushes, sea cabbage, pebbles on the shore, a little bit of sea line. These are things, which we know of the most significant part of the creation of Konrad Mägi.
The present painting still can add to the present text, and add a significant piece of information. Mägi has gathered here the versatile choice of motifs and is also at his painting technique – related artistic peak. The horizon is typically to that period been lifted, the painting surface is filled with stones, which have been painted with small brush strikes and there is a multi-layered green field. But a special and rare spice is added to Mägi’s painting by farm buildings, the roof of one has not even been finished yet and by a river, running in the middle of the painting. Is it only organising of space in a new manner? Or demonstrating perfect skills on different objects? Or is it rendering of the essence of Saaremaa, which would be impossible without depicting of farm buildings? Or is it just a surprising, unexpected and skilful example of the creation of Konrad Mägi, which has been accomplished at Saaremaa?

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Appearance in auctions

Landscape
Konrad Mägi
Landscape
1915-1916. Oil, cardboard 49.5 x 65.5 cm (framed)
ESTONIAN ART AUCTION - MID-19TH CENTURY TO 1965 Haus Gallery 06.05.2023
156 000
Final price: 401 000
Norwegian Landscape
Konrad Mägi
Norwegian Landscape
1908-1910. Oil, paper 25.4 x 33.2 cm (framed)
EARLIER ART CLASSICS Haus Gallery 29.10.2022
64 000
Final price: 103 000
(sold)"> (sold)Oberstdorfi maastik
Konrad Mägi
Oberstdorfi maastik
1922. oil, canvas 41 x 26 cm (framed)
Haus Gallery's spring auction Haus Gallery 25.04.2019
23 000
Final price: 26 000
Dieppe´i motiiv
Konrad Mägi
Dieppe´i motiiv
1911. oil on cardboard 46 x 57 cm (framed)
HAUS GALLERY XXXIX AUCTION 2016 spring Haus Gallery 30.03.2016
29 000
Final price:
(sold)"> (sold)Kuuvalgus
Konrad Mägi
Kuuvalgus
1906-1910. pencil, watercolor lm 25 x 33 cm (framed)
Haus Gallery 28.03.2013
2 400
Final price: 2 400
Dieppe'i motiiv
Konrad Mägi
Dieppe'i motiiv
1911. oil on cardboard 46 x 57 cm (framed)
Haus Gallery 26.10.2012
38 500
Final price:
Rooma motiiv
Konrad Mägi
Rooma motiiv
1922-1923. oil on canvas 58.5 x 50.5 cm (framed)
Haus Gallery 08.11.2010-10.11.2010
49 851
Final price:
(sold)"> (sold)Itaalia maastik
Konrad Mägi
Itaalia maastik
1922-1923. -- 85.5 x 62.5 cm (framed)
HAUS GALLERY XXII ART AUCTION 2008 spring. Old Masters Paintings Haus Gallery 22.04.2008
58 799
Final price: 73 498
(sold)"> (sold)Capri maastik
Konrad Mägi
Capri maastik
1922-1923. oil on canvas 58.5 x 67.5 cm
HAUS GALLERY´S 10. anniversary art auction Haus Gallery 25.09.2007
33 873
Final price: 127 823
(sold)"> (sold)Saaremaa rand
Konrad Mägi
Saaremaa rand
1913. Oil on cardboard 40 x 50 cm
HAUS GALLERY XVIIth ART AUCTION, 2005 autumn Haus Gallery 20.10.2005
24 286
Final price: 24 286
(sold)"> (sold)Itaalia maastik
Konrad Mägi
Itaalia maastik
1921. Oil on canvas 67 x 58 cm
HAUS GALLERY XVIIth ART AUCTION, 2005 autumn Haus Gallery 20.10.2005
34 512
Final price: 41 606
(sold)"> (sold)Saaremaa
Konrad Mägi
Saaremaa
1913. Oil on cardboard 38 x 48 cm (not framed)
HAUS GALLERY XVIth ART AUCTION, 2005 spring Haus Gallery 25.04.2005
18 854
Final price: 18 854
(sold)"> (sold)Rannamaastik
Konrad Mägi
Rannamaastik
1913. Oil on cardboard 38 x 48 cm
HAUS GALLERY XVth ART AUCTION, 2004 autumn Haus Gallery 21.10.2004
12 463
Final price: 39 306
(sold)"> (sold)Capri
Konrad Mägi
Capri
1922. Oil on canvas 56 x 68 cm (not framed)
HAUS GALLERY XIVth ART AUCTION, 2004 spring Haus Gallery 04.04.2004
11 632
Final price: 64 295
(sold)"> (sold)Maastik kellatorniga (Kihelkonna)
Konrad Mägi
Maastik kellatorniga (Kihelkonna)
1913. Oil on canvas 61 x 68 cm
HAUS GALLERY XIIIth ART AUCTION 2003 autumn Haus Gallery 23.10.2003
10 098
Final price: 21 826
(sold)"> (sold)Normandia maastik
Konrad Mägi
Normandia maastik
1911. Pencil, water-colour, paper 23 x 31 cm
HAUS / XIIth AUCTION, 2003 spring Haus Gallery 24.04.2003
3 132
Final price: 3 132
(sold)"> (sold)Alvine Käppa portree
Konrad Mägi
Alvine Käppa portree
1919. Oil on canvas 102 x 76 cm (not framed)
HAUS / XI AUCTION, 2002 autumn Haus Gallery 24.10.2002
18 279
Final price: 18 279
(sold)"> (sold)Maastik
Konrad Mägi
Maastik
1916. Oil on cardboard 25 x 50 cm (not framed)
HAUS / VII AUCTION, 2000 autumn Haus Gallery 26.10.2000
5 305
Final price: 5 305
Oberstdorfi maastik
Konrad Mägi
Oberstdorfi maastik
1922. Oil on canvas 41 x 26 cm (not framed)
HAUS / V AUCTION, 1999 autumn Haus Gallery 12.10.1999
6 391
Final price:
Lõuna-Eesti maastik
Konrad Mägi
Lõuna-Eesti maastik
1916. Pencil, paper 10 x 15 cm
HAUS / IV AUCTION, 1999 spring Haus Gallery 26.04.1999-24.04.1999
703
Final price:

Appearance in exhibitions

The Field Of Tulips
Konrad Mägi
The Field Of Tulips
1909-1910. Oil, canvas 41 x 60 cm (framed)
WORKS FROM TWO PRIVATE COLLECTIONS Haus Gallery 15.02.2023-13.03.2023

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