“Ado Vabbe. Wunderbar”

Ado Vabbe (1892–1961) was one of the founders of the Pallas Art Society and an important teacher at the Pallas Art School. He is best known for his avant-garde paintings and prints, but he also made illustrations for books. Since 1997, the most important art prize awarded in Tartu has been named after him.

The life of the young artist, who appeared at the exhibition for the first time in 1914, went on an upward trend. He had the opportunity to study art in Munich and improve his artistic knowledge on an eventful trip to Italy. During the First World War, he lived in the Russian art centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg, proved himself as a prolific illustrator, and in 1918 participated in the founding of the Pallas Art Society. Vabbe’s knowledge of the newer art movements in Europe was therefore not based only on the literature he read – he grew up as an artist in the midst of a bubbling artistic life. The writer August Gailit called Vabbe a passionate cornet who dances in front of the echelon. After the birth of the Republic of Estonia, Vabbe associated himself with the Pallas art school, being its legendary teacher until the school was closed during the Soviet era. Several later great figures of Estonian art studied under him: Johannes Võerahansu, Karin Luts, Karl Pärsimägi, Elmar Kits, Endel Kõks, etc.

This exhibition grew out of the large review exhibition held in 2020 at the Kumu Art Museum. As is typical for Tartu, the Pallas chapter in Vabbe’s biography is highlighted in this exhibition, through the work of his students. The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive monographic treatment of Ado Vabbe with plenty of images, which was the last research work of the late art historian Tiiu Talvistu (1955–2020, worked at Tartu Art Museum 1974–2016).

Publisher: Estonian Art Museum
Author: Tiiu Talvistu
Illustrators: Tuuli Aule
Pages: 416
Dimensions: 24.7 x 30.6 cm
Year of publication: 2020
Language: Estonian
ISBN: 9789949687169

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