Biography
Erkki Ferdinand Kulovesi, né Ringbom (b. Tampere, Finland 1895 – d. Helsinki, Finland 1971) was a Finnish painter and printmaker. He initially studied law at the University of Helsinki but went to the drawing room under Erik (Eero) Nikolai Järnefelt (1863-1937), at The University of the Arts' Academy of Fine Arts (KuVa), Helsinki (1919-27), then attended Académie Colarossi, the Académie Moderne, the Académie Ranson and the Académie Lhote in Paris.
Kulovesi held his first exhibition in Tampere in 1919, and moved permanently to Helsinkin in 1927. He received the Pro Finlandia (Order of the Finish Lion) medal in 1959. He taught at the drawing school of the Finnish Art Association (1927-1929), was the drawing master of the drawing room at the University of Helsinki (1935-62) and at the Vapaa taidekoulu (Free Art School) from 1937. He became a professor in 1964. He was a member, secretary and chairman of the board of the Society of Finnish Artists, the Suomen Taidegrafikot and of the Finish Academy of Arts, as well as president of the Nordisk Grafik Union. Unfortunately, most of Kulovesi's graphic plates were destroyed when his studio was damaged in the bombing of Helsinki in February 1944.
