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Amandus Heinrich Adamson was an Estonian sculptor, academician and one of the founders of Estonian national art. He enjoyed carving even as a young child and is said to have created his first “wooden human” as a gift to his brother before he could read. In 1876, Adamson started auditing art classes at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, and in 1879, graduated with a certificate of a classical artist of the first rank.
After graduation he worked as a freelance artist in St. Petersburg and gained success. He adhered to the realistic manner of depiction that was dominant at the time and remained true to it till the end of his life. He chose topics for his works mainly from antique mythology and the Bible, modelled a large number of portraits, figural compositions and decorative sculptures, and received commissions from a wide circle of people including members of the high aristocracy.
In 1887–1891, Adamson trained in Paris, where his works were displayed at the World Exhibition of 1889. From 1891 onward, he continued his intense creative career as a freelance artist in St. Petersburg, but he also visited his home country quite often and established a studio in Paldiski. In 1901, Adamson began making monuments: the Russalka in Tallinn was completed in 1902, followed by a number of commissioned monuments in Estonia as well as Russia.
In 1907, Adamson became an academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Nikolai Triik and Konrad Mägi, among others, were his students at the academy. During that time Adamson also became interested in painting: he had achieved excellence in sculpture and was now looking for something else for a change. By way of a hobby, he painted several Italian and Estonian landscapes and seascapes.
From 1918 till the end of his life the artist lived in Paldiski, from where he made a few more trips to Italy. Amandus Adamson worked zealously until the very last minute, leaving behind innumerable unfinished sculptures.
