Student Artwork Guide — Model Study 5

Name Class Date

Elina Brotherus, Model Study 5 (2008). Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: Elina Brotherus originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/elina-brotherus/
Artist’s dates: 1972 –
Painted: 2008
Movement: Contemporary

Copyright This work is treated as still under copyright. Elina Brotherus was born in 1972 and has no recorded death date; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Model Study 5 — Elina Brotherus

When was this painted?

1970
1980
1990
2000
2010

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span, counting 0 from birth.

Painted when the artist was 36. 1 of the 93 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

▲ this work, 2008 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 2015 Main working years: 2015–2017 Late works: from 2017

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Winter, 2015 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-winter-D5Z9WW-en/
Manhattan Car Window, 2015 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-manhattan-car-window-D5ZAMR-en/
At Least One Egg (Avallon), 2016 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-at-least-one-egg-avallon-D5ZFBY-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Rosy Brown #a99880

Catalogued palette

#A99880
#463123
#E2E0CE
#816B57

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Rosy Brown
Intensity: Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Balanced How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Elina Brotherus over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 88.2%
2 Estonia 5.9%
3 United States of America 5.9%

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 17 most looked-at works by Elina Brotherus

1 Tombeau Imaginaire 12, 2019 10.5%
2 Measuring Wind Speed, 2016 10.5%
3 Winter, 2015 5.3%
4 Moon, 2015 5.3%
5 Model Study 3, 2008 5.3%
6 Class Photo, 2015 5.3%
7 Model Study 7, 2008 5.3%
8 Measuring the Water Level in the Sea (Full Moon), 2016 5.3%
9 A New Sense of Order, 2016 5.3%
10 L'Avant Garde Se Rend Pas, 2016 5.3%
11 Model Study 5, 2008 this painting 5.3%
12 Tombeau Imaginaire 1, 2019 5.3%
13 Bedsheet, 2015 5.3%
14 Tombeau Imaginaire 17, 2019 5.3%
15 My Dog Is Cuter Than Your Ugly Baby, 2015 5.3%
16 Flowers, 2015 5.3%
17 Disguise Yourself as Another Object (Wallpaper), 2016 5.3%

Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 93 works by this artist, of which 17 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 11 of them, with 5.3% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Artist

Elina Brotherus

Born in Helsinki, Finland

The Introspective Lens of Elina Brotherus

Elina Brotherus stands as a profound voice in contemporary photography and video art, known for a practice that masterfully weaves together the personal with the art-historical. Born in Helsinki, Finland, her artistic journey is marked by a unique dual foundation, holding a Master of Science in analytical chemistry from the University of Helsinki alongside a Master of Fine Arts in photography from the University of Art and Design Helsinki. This rare intersection of scientific precision and creative intuition informs her meticulous approach to capturing the world. Her work often functions as a contemplative dialogue between the self and the environment, utilizing self-portraiture to explore the delicate boundaries between interior psychological spaces and the expansive, often ethereal, landscapes that surround us.

The essence of Brotherus’s oeuvre lies in its ability to blend realism with a dreamlike, almost otherworldly quality. She is particularly celebrated for her commitment to unedited photography, eschewing the artificiality of digital manipulation in favor of natural light and authentic representation. In works such as At Least One Egg (Avallon), she creates scenes where the human figure becomes part of a larger, organic tapestry, such as an encounter with wisteria blossoms that feels both grounded in reality and suspended in a moment of pure introspection. Her compositions often utilize soft, diffused light to evoke feelings of vulnerability, solitude, and a deep-seated connection to nature.

Artistic Evolution and Global Presence

As a prominent member of the Helsinki School, Brotherus has expanded her visual vocabulary through engagement with various artistic legacies. In her exhibition The Avantgarde doesn’t give up, she demonstrated a remarkable ability to reinterpret the instructions of avant-garde and neo-avant-garde movements, transforming performance scripts and Fluxus works into contemporary photographic narratives. This process of recontextualization allows her to honor historical artistic spirits while reshaping them through her own lens of personal identity and landscape.

Her career is marked by significant international recognition and presence in the world's most prestigious cultural institutions. Her work has been showcased in solo exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, The National Art Center in Tokyo, Kunst Haus Wien in Vienna, and the Weserburg Museum für Moderne Kunst in Bremen. The enduring impact of her vision is further evidenced by the inclusion of her pieces in major permanent collections, including:

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk

MAXXI in Rome

Moderna Museet in Stockholm

Through her evocative imagery—ranging from the quiet vulnerability found in Model Study 18 to the raw intimacy of Eating with—Elina Brotherus continues to challenge the viewer to find beauty in the subtle nuances of existence, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of contemporary photographic art.

Where to read more

The artist Elina Brotherus originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/elina-brotherus/
Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Model Study 5

originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Brotherus, Elina. Model Study 5. 2008, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/
APA: Brotherus, Elina (2008). Model Study 5 [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/
Chicago: Elina Brotherus. Model Study 5. 2008. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/
Harvard: Brotherus, Elina (2008) Model Study 5. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/elina-brotherus-model-study-5-D5Z4XX-en/

Model Study 5 — Elina Brotherus

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Look back at Winter (2015), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Elina Brotherus was about 36 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

Can I order an oil reproduction of "Model Study 5"?

You can order a hand-painted reproduction of "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus directly on this page: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, made to order.

How can I get a digital file of "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus?

"Model Study 5" is available as a high-resolution digital image download, purchased directly on this page.

What other names is Elina Brotherus known by?

Elina Brotherus appears under the alternate names Brotherus.

How can I get a print of "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus?

"Model Study 5" is available as a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper. Orders are placed on this page, in the size of your choice.

Is "Model Study 5" free of copyright?

"Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus is still protected by copyright. This status governs how the image of the work may be reproduced.

What orientation does "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus have?

"Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus has a portrait format. The format describes the proportions of the composition.

Do the colors of "Model Study 5" appear strong or soft?

"Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus shows a balanced color intensity.

How is the palette of "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus described?

The palette of "Model Study 5" by Elina Brotherus is described as neutrals. It is a compact description of the work's colors.