Janis Rozentāls interested in the biological nature of man - the world of passions, the love theme, was typical of his time. Rozentāls made several portraits of the patron of writers and artists A.Dombrovskis, writer Rūdolfs Blaumanis, artist's wife Elli Forsell. The creative potential of the artist revealed itself in the portraits of persons spiritually close to him. The main trait of his compositions was asymmetry, the wavelike rhythm of Art Nouveau. In Rozentāls' works the linear coexisted with the picturesque, flatness - with a soft transition of tones, small touches of paint - with wast surfaces of color.

He revealed the beauty of nature, demonstrated the integrity of man and nature. The scope of Rozentāls' activities was very wide, but painting was of paramount importance. Today, the Janis Rozentāls Art Highschool in Riga is named after him, and has had his name since 1946. He died suddenly on Decemand was buried in Helsinki, though later was reburied in his homeland.

World War I interrupted the family's life in Riga and in 1915 they relocated to Finland. they had three children - Laila, Irja and Miķelis. They found home in a flat- studio, in Alberta street, in Riga. Fateful turn in life of the painter happened in November, 1902, when Janis Rozentāls got acquainted with Elli Forsell(1871-1943), a Finnish singer, in Riga. Now a memorial museum is arranged in the building designed by the artist. In spring 1899 Rozentāls bought a building plot at the Striķu street and set up a studio, but his intents were not well received in the provincial town and he moved to Riga two years later. A little later the artist decided to settle in Saldus as he wanted to live among his people and create art appropriate to its aspirations and feelings.

For his diploma work he took as models the young educated Latvians and local farmers. During study vacations the developing artist visited his native land to relax from the hectic rhythm of the large city, paint motifs from nature and commissioned portraits. At the age of fifteen the boy left for Riga and consistently tried to realize his dream about art, later entering St.Petersburg Academy of Art. Rozentāls received the basic education at H.Krause's Elementary School in Saldus and Kuldīga District School.

December 26, 1916) was a Latvian painter. Main Kurzeme Region at Bebri Farmstead near the Saldus - d.

Janis Rozentāls by Inta Pujāte