Queen Blanka. Study

1873–1874

On a scholarship to the Antwerp Academy

On a Finnish government scholarship Edelfelt studied history painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, spending several months under Nicaise de Keyser and winning an award of excellence for his painting of Alexander the Great on his deathbed. Other accounts date his Antwerp studies to 1872–1873.

1873–1874

Beginning of his friendship with Émile Claus

During his Antwerp studies Edelfelt began a long friendship with the Belgian painter Émile Claus.

1874 · Tanulmányok

Beaux-Arts de Paris

autumn 1874

Moves to Paris on von Becker's advice

On the advice of his teacher Adolf von Becker, Edelfelt moved to Paris and shared a small studio with a Finnish friend at 24 rue Bonaparte. Under Jean-Léon Gérôme he kept to history painting, above all scenes from the long wars between Russians, Swedes and Finns.

1876

Friendship with Jules Bastien-Lepage

After a year in Paris Edelfelt went back to Helsinki, but returned to Paris in 1876 and took a studio at 81 boulevard du Montparnasse. There he befriended Jules Bastien-Lepage, who introduced him to painting in the open air.

1877

Honorary free associate of the Academy of Arts

The Imperial Academy of Arts made Edelfelt an honorary free associate. Other accounts date his honorary membership to 1878.