Ships of Finland, postcards - Paintings by Håkan Sjöström

Håkan Sjöström (born 1933) - is considered to be one of the foremost marine painters in Scandinavia today.  Painting was an important part of Håkan’s years of growing up. Upon completing his Bachelor of Science degree (Econ.), he started working at a shipyard in Turku, where he remained until retirement. Parallelly with his work, he even painted the newbuildings of the shipyard. Håkan has also had commissions for several  shipping companies, Viking Line among others. A few seascape commissions remain. In addition, he has  illustrated magazines and books.* He also has designed few stamps for Aland Post.

*Source: Aland Post bulletin No.1/2009

Suomen Joutsen (Swan of Finland in English) - is a three-mast, steel hull, full rigged ship. She was built in 1902 in St. Nazaire, France to serve in the trade between Atlantic and Pacific ports. In 1930 she was bought by the Government of Finland to serve as Finnish Navy training ship. Before World War II she made eight long ocean voyages. From 1956 she was a stationary Seamen's School for the Finnish Merchant Navy. Since 1991, she has been a museum ship owned by City of Turku, Finland.

Sigyn (1887) - built in Göteborg 1887, now museum ship in Turku, is the last remaining wooden barque used for trade across the oceans. At the time she was built there were thousands of similar vessels, but she was one of the last ones built. She was quite small even for her time, considering she was built for long-distance trade, but well built and considered fast and beautiful.

Herzogin Cecilie - was a German four mast barque, built in 1902, was one of the fastest merchant sailing ships of her time, on a par with the Flying-P-Liners. The trip around Cape Horn from Portland (Oregon) to The Lizard (England) was done in 1903 in only 106 days.

Thanks to postcrosser Sirpa in Finland for sending me these artistic cards.

Source: Wikipedia