Vilhelms Purvītis was a Latvian painter born in Zaube, Latvia. Born to a family of millers, Purvītis worked for his father’s mill before pursuing a career as a painter. In 1890, Purvītis began his artistic training at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Purvītis studied from 1890 until 1897, winning a gold medal for his excellent work. After finishing his studies, Purvītis travelled across Europe, before returning to Latvia to teach art in the city of Riga. Purvītis eventually became the director if Riga’s art program.

Purvītis briefly left Riga in 1915 after World War I led to the closure of Riga’s art school. Just a few years later, Purvītis gained another position as director of of the Riga Art Museum, now known as the Latvian National Museum of Art. Purvītis also played an influential role in the founding of the Art Academy of Latvia.

Purvītis again lost his position under Soviet occupation in 1940, leading to his relocation to Danzig, where Purvītis died in 1945. The artist’s remains were eventually returned to Lativia, where is remembered as a crucial figure in the Lativian arts. Many of his landscape paintings now hang in the Latvian National Museum of Art.

If you think you may own original artwork by Vilhelms Purvītis, contact Art Certification Experts for information regarding our services.