1834 Mathilda Rotkirch

This vivid red pattern was inspired by an early 19th-century bodice once used in Finland — a charming hybrid between Regency and folk dress. The lively vine-like motif, printed on warm tones, reflects a period when local and European fashions intertwined.

Perfect for creating a short gown, spencer, or folk-style bodice, this design radiates rustic warmth and elegance. It would also translate beautifully into a wool print for authentic historical texture.

Mathilda Rotkirch was a Finnish painter born on July 28, 1813, in Borgå, Finland. She is often recognized as the first female artist in Finland, known for her portrait paintings. Rotkirch studied art in Stockholm with Johan Gustaf Sandberg and Robert Wilhelm Ekman in the spring of 1833. She furthered her studies at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts from 1833 to 1838. In 1840–1841, she embarked on a study trip through Europe with artist Sophie Aminoff and her husband Carl Reuterskiöld, visiting various cities such as Lübeck, Hamburg, Kassel, Strasbourg, Bern, Geneva, Milan, and Paris. In Paris, she studied under the Swedish painter Per Wickenberg.

Tragically, Mathilda Rotkirch passed away in Turku in 1842 at the young age of 28 due to a lung ailment. She was laid to rest in the family graveyard at Näsebacken near Porvoo. Despite her short life, Rotkirch’s work was exhibited posthumously in Finland in 1847. Her paintings are held at prestigious institutions like Ateneum and Cygnaeus Gallery.