The museum is dedicated to Adamson-Eric (1902–1968), one of the most versatile creative personalities in Estonian art in the 20th century. Mainly known as a brilliant painter, he was also skilled in nearly all fields of applied art. The building of the Adamson-Eric Museum was renovated in 1983, after a generous gift to the Art Museum of Estonia by the artist’s widow, who donated about a thousand works of art in different media to the museum. In addition to the permanent display and temporary exhibitions, education programmes, concerts and lectures are organized in the museum and its courtyard.
The permanent exhibition of the museum displays the creative heritage of Adamson-Eric (paintings, ceramics, leatherwork, jewellery, textiles, etc). Adamson-Eric’s idiosyncratic paintings and applied art pieces are characterised by elegance, refined colours and brilliant esprit. His aesthetic principles are based on the traditions of French painting. At the same time his art is closely connected to the local Northern environment and the traditions of Estonian national art. Adamson-Eric’s abundant work reflects the developments in fine and applied arts in Estonia during more than forty years.
