Mart Lepp Explained

Mart Lepp
Birth Date:December 28, 1947
Birth Place:Tallinn, Estonia
Nationality:Estonian
Occupation:Art collector

Mart Lepp (born December 28, 1947) is an Estonian art collector[1] and the owner of the largest art collection in Estonia.[2] [3] [4] His art collection includes nearly 25,000 works.[2] [5] [6] Much of his art collection was assembled through inexpensive purchases or for free, as gifts from artists or their relatives.[2] [6]

Early life

Mart Lepp was born in Tallinn in 1947. He graduated from Tallinn Evening High School No. 10 (now)[7] in 1969.

Collection

His art collection, which initially included 300 works—mainly etchings by Western European and Russian painters of the 19th century, as well as paintings, sculptures, and graphics by Estonian artists (August Weizenberg, Kristjan Raud, Eduard Wiiralt, Paul Burman, Aleksander Vardi, and)—was founded by his mother Selma Lepp (1911–1977).[8] [9] Lepp started collecting graphics in 1961, and in 1972 he started focusing on Estonian painting. The collection also includes watercolors, drawings, and sketches. He has held a series of exhibitions of his collection and published folder series, catalogs, and bibliophile publications. Lepp has also written books on botany.

Very large collections have developed for the most important artists in the overall collection. There are over a thousand works by individual artists. Large collections by several individual artists in Lepp's collection include the works of Aleksander Vardi, Jüri Arrak, Valdur Ohakas, Olav Maran,,, Peeter Mudist,,,,, Elmar Kits, and Eduard Ole.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rodel . Klaus . Mart Lepp en maler og grafiker fra estland og hans exlibris . 1974 . Exlibristen . Frederikshavn.
  2. News: Kulli . Jaanus . Eesti kunstikogujad: Kollektsionäär Mart Lepp: pärast sõda võis osta kunsti võileivahinnaga . April 28, 2024 . Õhtuleht . November 23, 2020.
  3. News: Eilart . Andres . Eesti suurima kunstikoguja käes on müstiline 20 000 teost . April 28, 2024 . Eesti Päevaleht . June 28, 2011.
  4. Web site: A Personal Century: Mart Lepp’s Art Collection . Mikkel Museum . Mikkel Museum . April 28, 2024.
  5. News: Kolk . Tiina . Mart Lepa kogus valitseb kunstiuputus . April 28, 2024 . Postimees . May 4, 2017.
  6. News: Tiigiste . Grete . Delikaatselt eklektiline kunstikogu. Intervjuu Mart Lepaga . April 28, 2024 . ERR . June 1, 2020.
  7. Web site: Kooli ajaloost . Tallinna Täiskasvanute Gümnaasium . April 28, 2024.
  8. Book: Bayer . Waltraud . Gerettete Kultur: private Kunstsammler in der Sowjetunion, 1917–1991 . 2006 . Turia + Kant . Vienna . 361.
  9. Web site: Kirg ja valu. Eesti kunstiklassika Mart Lepa ja René Kuulmanni erakogudest . Tartmus . Tartu Kunstimuuseum . April 28, 2024.