Purgatory (1923)

Dated 1923, "Purgatory" is an artwork by Magnus Enckell. Figurative in brief: Over the centuries, painters have used the figure to express social standing, narrative, and emotion. Portraits, group scenes, studies of the nude, and pictures of daily life all belong to figurative art. Context for 1923: The first decades of the twentieth century were a period of rapid experiment, with Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and the first abstract painting appearing within a few years of each other. Posters, magazines, and illustrated books were major ways for the public to meet new art and design. The catalogue places it in Figurative. The format is portrait.

On onlly.art "Purgatory" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

Finnish, 1870–1925

If you like the visual language of Magnus Enckell, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.