Famous life · 1879
Köler's fresco in Charles's Church
Johann Köler was the seventh child of a poor family from Vastemõisa and became the first Estonian painter with an academic training. He made his name in St Petersburg as a portrait painter and became an academician in 1861. As a fiery nationalist he refused on principle to exhibit together with Baltic Germans, so his work stayed little known at home. In 1879 he painted the fresco in the apse of Charles's Church as a gift to Tallinn's Estonian congregation. Its title is the verse Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden. Köler died in St Petersburg in 1899.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Vastemõisa saunikute seitsmes laps Johann Köler sai esimeseks akadeemilise kunstiharidusega eesti maalikunstnikuks. Ta tegi end Peterburis tuntuks portretistina ja valiti 1861. aastal akadeemikuks. Tulise rahvuslasena ei esinenud ta põhimõtteliselt näitustel koos baltisakslastega, mistõttu jäi tema looming kodumaal esialgu üsna tundmatuks. 1879. aastal maalis ta Tallinna Kaarli kiriku apsiidi fresko kingituseks kiriku eesti kogudusele. Selle pealkiri on piiblisalm „Tulge minu juurde kõik, kes teie vaevatud ja koormatud olete”. Köler suri 1899. aastal Peterburis.