Westermarck studied art at the Drawing School of the
Finnish Art Society and the private academy of
Adolf von Becker. During her studies, she met
Helene Schjerfbeck, who remained a close friend for the rest of their lives. Westermarck and Schjerfbeck were a part of a group of female artists known as "the painter sisters." This group included
Maria Wiik and
Elin Danielson-Gambogi. Westermarck worked for long periods in France, often in the company of Schjerfbeck, and developed a sensible realistic style, especially with portraits and figure compositions. At the
Exposition Universelle (1889), she received honorable mention for her painting
Strykerskor. , 1884 After contracting tuberculosis in 1884, she abandoned painting and devoted herself to writing as a critic. Westermarck began her writing career as a novelist. Her novels can be looked at as an artifact of women's history and the everyday life of upper- and middle-class women. ==Selected works==