Konrad Mägi Saaremaa Coast

The work was created in Kihelkonna, on the coast of the Abaja Bay probably in the summer of 1913. Simple sheds had been set up on the coast of the bay where mud treatments were carried out under the supervision of Doctor Hermann Valtok. Mägi was looking for recuperation from sore joints, but –luckily for art history – became fascinated by the surrounding nature and came to life again as an artist. Having been depressed after his return from Paris, he had lost his artistic sensitivity for a while, but the works created during the summers spent in Saaremaa constituted a new magnificent chapter in his oeuvre. 

Mägi’s palette is yellower and softer in this painting than in other works of the Saaremaa series. Contrasts between yellow and purplish are masterfully crafted, yet he has managed to balance the different exotic hues into a harmonious whole. The dim light blue surface of the sea and the two little islands create a rhythm in the background while also adding spaciousness and airiness to the picture. Although the majority of Mägi’s Saaremaa paintings can be described as being very intense, this particular painting exudes a more peaceful atmosphere despite the fast and impulsive brushwork.