Patrons

Serlachius Headquarters

15.06.2024

—31.12.2034

Punaisilla samettiverhoilla verhotussa huoneessa parrakkaan vanhan herran pronssinen rintakuva ja seinällä valokuvasuurennos, jossa hän istuu pyörätuolissa.

The story behind Serlachius Art Collections

Permanent exhibitionBehind the Serlachius art collection is a fascinating story that intertwines art, history, architecture, forest and Finnishness.

The exhibition Patrons tells the story of the Serlachius family as supporters of the art world, in the management of a paper company and as builders of the ideal society in Mänttä. 

The industrialist in Mänttä and the residents of the forest industry community they founded built their small hometown into a national and international centre with a strong identity created by paper and art. As patrons of art, the Serlachius family supported artists and established a unique art collection in Mänttä. The exhibition also opens up the history of patronage in general, from the Medici to the Rockefellers. 

The founder of Mänttä Mills, G. A. Serlachius, found the young Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Emil Wikström at the end of the 1800s, supporting them financially and with commissioned works. Gösta Serlachius continued to support Finnish artists and in 1933 established the Fine Arts Foundation to maintain his growing art collection. R. Erik Serlachius and Gustaf Serlachius continued to develop the Fine Arts foundation

Utopia in style of Mänttä

The story of the exhibition expands from supporting art to the development of Mänttä. With the Serlachius company, Mänttä became a prosperous small industrial community, which was presented in the 1950s and 60s as an ideal Finnish community and was visited by both domestic and foreign dignitaries.

 The exhibition Patrons is linked to history of the company’s old headquarters and the historical office rooms. It also includes the World of Forest experiential space, which is suitable for both children and adults. The exhibition is curated by Pauli Sivonen, Director of the Serlachius Museums, and its visual identity has been created by Tarja Väätänen, Head of Design at Serlachius.

Images from the exhibition Patrons

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Puusta valmistettuja pienoismalleja Mäntän vanhoista rakennuksista samettiverhoin vuoratussa huoneessa.
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Sarjakuvamainen tarina seinällä kertoo Serlachius-yhtiön vaiheista.
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Osakuva Michelangelon kattofreskosta Vatikaanin Sikstuksen kappelin katossa punaisella samettiverholla vuoratussa huoneessa.
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Varhaisessa Serlachius-yhtiön mainoksessa piirretty silinterihattuinen mies on menossa vesssaan. Vieressä lukee The Best Hygienic Toilet Paper ja Serlachius-yhtiön logo.
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