Biography
Latvian painter Emma Baltmane was born on March 16, 1882, in Krustpils, Latvia, into the family of a railway worker. She studied at the Maria School in Jēkabpils and achieved great success in drawing. To support the emerging artist, the school helped arrange an opportunity for her to continue her education at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but her parents did not agree. Baltmane decided to study painting independently. Baltmane decided to study painting independently. From 1925 to 1927, she improved her skills in Riga in the class of Sergey Vinogradov (Сергей Арсеньевич Виноградов, 1869–1938), professor and painter at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
She died on 16 December 1969.[1]
Artistic style
Baltmane was one of the first Latvian female painters who focused on depicting the landscapes of small towns. In the mid-1930s, she gained popularity with her market scenes of Krustpils, Krāslava and Jēkabpils. Her style can be described as realistic impressionist – she successfully captured space, form, light, and colour.[2] Baltmane also painted landscapes and floral compositions, creating around 1,300 works in total. She organised solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions.[3]
Interesting Facts
Baltmane was the first female artist who spent her whole life in Krustpils and dedicated her talent to her hometown.
After losing her husband at an early age, she spent most of her life alone. Her worldview was deeply rooted in Christian faith, which she continued to express openly, even during the Soviet era.
She was very empathetic and strong-willed. She met several times with President Kārlis Ulmanis and gathered representatives of the local Latvian intelligentsia around her.[4]
[1] Tidomane G. Baltmane, Emma Māksla un arhitektūra biogrāfijās, I / Atb. red. A. Vilsons. Rīga: Latvijas enciklopēdija, 1995.–43. lpp.
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://timenote.info/lv/Emma-Baltmane (sk. 23.03.2025.)
[4] Ibid.
