Eero Järnefelt (1863-1937)

Eero Järnefelt was one of the most important artists to Sibelius from the Tuusulanjärvi artist community and was always a welcome visitor at Ainola. He was a selfless supporter, encourager, an incredibly intelligent conversation partner, and when necessary, a source of financial help for the composer.

Sibelius dedicated his Fourth Symphony to his brother-in-law Eero Järnefelt. The work was first heard in the spring of 1911, but already during its composition in the fall of 1909, the artist friends took a trip together to Koli. No one knows to what extent the discussions during that trip and the surrounding landscapes influenced the creation of the Fourth Symphony. Sibelius drew inspiration for his compositions from Koli, though he adamantly denied any programmatic meaning in his symphony. According to Sibelius’s selective memory, only Eero Järnefelt came to thank him in the artist’s room after the symphony’s somewhat bewildering premiere.

Sibelius’s relationship with his brother-in-law was not without challenges. Järnefelt was of noble birth, which sparked feelings of inferiority in the composer that he occasionally vented in his diary.

The two friends took long walks together, where they discussed the problems of art and life. Järnefelt’s worldly experience and brilliant conversation skills both fascinated and embarrassed Sibelius. In October 1912, Sibelius lamented in his diary about his “own urge to talk himself dry” and “pose as an amateur philosopher and fantasist” in his brother-in-law’s company—especially since Järnefelt often “tore down his imaginative structures with a single remark.” However, despite Järnefelt occasionally offending the “naivety that meant so much” to Sibelius, the composer confessed that he “couldn’t help but love this noble, refined friend.”

Several of Järnefelt’s works can be seen at Ainola. The hall features two portraits of Aino, and there is another one in Sibelius’s study and bedroom. In the dining room, alongside a couple of landscapes, there is a warm 50th birthday gift from Järnefelt to his friend. It depicts a red chair at Suviranta in 1915. The chair remains in its original place to this day, though its color has faded to gray.

By the 1930s, the Tuusulanjärvi artist community had largely become a thing of the past for Sibelius: Eero Järnefelt, the last of his closest artist friends, passed away in 1937.