Finnish artist Helene Schjerfbeck's unique brand of Modernism, moving from early realism through a pared-down, expressive style towards near-abstraction, emphasizing emotionally resonant, often haunting portraits and still lifes, and revealing her as a key Nordic modernist voice. Her art is characterized by a simplified, bold language, textural paint application, and deep psychological depth, especially in her iconic late self-portraits.

Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck is the first exhibition to showcase the work of the artist in a major United States museum. Featuring nearly 60 works—including generous loans from the Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, other Finnish museums, and private collections in Finland and Sweden—Seeing Silence illuminates Schjerfbeck as a valuable voice of modernism.

Please join us for a private tour of Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on February 11, 2026, at 9:30am.

Event reserved for AFMO Patron-level members and above.

All invitations are personal and non-transferable. For more information or to RSVP, please contact newyork@aforsay.org.

Image credit: Helene Schjerfbeck, Self-Portrait, 1912, oil on canvas, Finnish National Gallery, Ateneum Art Museum.