Helene Schjerfbeck
 

Artist from Finland who lived and painted 1862 -1946.
Classically trained but later developing a style of her own. To me she is outstanding in the way she uses both power and sensitivity in her paintings. She simplifies form into distinctive color passages but applies them with such finesse and softness that the forms are enhanced rather than broken up.

There isn't much information about Schjerfbeck online, sadly, but here is a few (not superb) links that I found:

http://www.turuntaidemuseo.fi/km/schjebru.htm
http://www.amosanderson.fi/svenska/scherfb.html
http://www.akvarellmuseet.org/sewden/2000.htm
http://www.modernamuseet.se/v4/templ...e1.asp?id=2072