Ado Vabbe. Wunderbar

The monograph Ado Vabbe: Wunderbar by the art historian Tiiu Talvistu (1955–2020) offers a thorough overview of the life and work of the artist, which bridged two centuries, witnessing two world wars and drastic transformations in the society. In addition to a richly illustrated article, the book contains numerous reproductions, a catalogue of Vabbe’s oeuvre, a biography and various appendices. Many of the works have been reproduced for the first time.

The book is in Estonian and in English. Ado Vabbe (1892–1961) is mainly known through the avant-garde oeuvre of his youth, which was constantly transforming and was raised to the pinnacle of the still developing Estonian art life of the 1920s by the members of the literary movement Siuru, for whom Vabbe illustrated numerous books. The writer August Gailit called him a passionate cornet who dancingly walked at the head of the echelon. After an energetic youth, Vabbe suddenly withdrew from the active art life and most of the numerous works that he created in the silence of his studio were unknown to the general public for a long time. He mainly dedicated himself to educating and became a legendary and influential teacher of the Pallas Art School.

The book accompanies the exhibition Ado Vabbe: Wunderbar at the Kumu Art Museum (28 August 2020 – 31 January 2021).