From Decline to Renaissance
Elements of Nostalgia in the Mythical Narrative of the “Golden Age” of Finnish Art
Abstract
In Finnish art history, the period around the beginning of the twentieth century has come to be known as the “Golden Age”. This article examines the background of this historical narrative, identifying an element of nostalgia among its building blocks. Through an exploration of art history texts produced by two influential art historians and critics of the interwar period, Onni Okkonen and Ludvig Wennervirta, the article argues that the Golden Age myth is founded on ideological and political currents that from today’s perspective appear highly controversial and even shocking at times, such as Fascism and National Socialism. These authors were motivated by a sense of restorative nostalgia that sought to construct a usable past to serve as a foundation of a utopian future. These dimensions of the myth are no longer consciously remembered, but they affect our views of the past in ways that continue to influence today’s world. Hence, to create a more inclusive view of the past, it is important to recognise the mythical nature of the Golden Age narrative and to pay attention to its historical foundation.
Keywords: nostalgia; the Golden Age; Onni Okkonen; Ludvig Wennervirta; Finnish Art; art history
