The 1845 book "Finland in Drawings" was one of the first publications to extensively illustrate Finland's landscape features. Zachris Topelius (1818-1898) authored the book and eight artists including Magnus von Wright, Johan Knutson, Pehr Adolf Kruskopf, Lennart Forstén, A.W. Lindeström, Torsten Forstén, Jacob Boström and Erik Westerling were invited to create approximately 120 new original drawings for it. Their romantic illustrations and the text of "Finland in Drawings" reflect nineteenth century ideals that paralleled the evolution of an emerging Finnish cultural distinctiveness. Author Pertti Koistinen wrote: "Topelius saw it as his duty to make the people of Finland aware of their own nationhood, their own role and their own land. As a journalist, writer and university teacher he wished to create a picture of Finland as the unitary homeland of the Finnish people. This is evident in all of his works but especially in 'Finland in Drawings' (1845-52) and 'Travels in Finland.' " Finns were slowly but steadily developing a national awareness. In addition, these widely popular and commercially successful illustrative drawings and books helped establish a visual identity for Finland, which extended far beyond its borders and far beyond the nineteenth century.

Drawings courtesy of the Helsinki University Library Collection. (Virtual Gallery)