Carl Millés
Carl Milles is one of the most prominent sculptor in Sweden history. A museum is established in Millesgården in the island of Lidingö. Millesgården is worth several visits as the scuptures in the garden are changing with the light, the time of the day, the seasons... However, as a starting point, around noon on a sunny day is the best. There is a good small restaurant in the garden. Temporary exhibitions are regularly organised.
You will find below an incomplete list of the monuments by Carl Milles in Stockholm and in Millesgården.
The Four Ages of Economic Exchange - SEB headquarters, Stockholm
The four sculptures on the façade of the Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) represent 4 ages of economic exchange.
The colonies - Nordstiernan building, Stureplan, Stockholm
The Nordstiernan company is a large Swedish shipping company whose headquarters are on Stureplan. Carl Milles sculpted a fresco representing the trade with the "colonies", who had made the success of the company.
The aviators' monument - Karlaplan
The Aviators' monument was commissioned by the Swedish Aeronautical Society to honour the memory of Swedish aviators who died in the early years of aviation and on polar explorations. The monument was completed in 1931 in Karlaplan. The monument became the rallying point for the youg Swedish Nazis in the 1940s. Because of this sculpture, Milles has been considered to be in admiration for nazism. However, Milles moved to the US in 1931 and only came back to Sweden twenty years after. On the side of the monument are steles in the memory of Icare (see picture below) and balloonist and Swedish aviators.
"God father on the rainbow" was originally commissioned for the UN Headquarter in New York. However, the project experienced multiple delays and funding difficulties. The project was cancelled in 1954, one year before Milles death. The statue was finally completed in 1995 in Nackastrand. The arch is 18 metres high.
Folke Filbyter is a fictional character appearing in the novel Folkungaträdet in 1905 by Verner von Heidenstam. He is a legendary ancestor of the House of Bjelbo (sounds like the Bilbo of Tolkien?) and the grand grand father of Birger Jarl, the founder of Stockholm in 1250 and the "Jarl" (chief) that contributed most to the establishment of Sweden. Folke returns home after several Viking expeditions, back to his three sons. Two of the sons depart to Russia for adventure and the third one who has a son converts to Christianity and gives his son to an itinerant preacher. Folke will get on the tracks of his grandson and heir...
"Peace and trade with Hamsa", with Lübeck in the top right corner. Above and below are the sculptures ornementing to base of the Folke Filbyter statue in Linköping. It represents an evocation of the blessed time of the hanseatic league period, spanning from XIV till XVII centuries.
Above and below, are sculptures on the base of the Folke Filbyter statue evocating the battle of Visby, against the hanseatic league, by Waldemar Atterdag, the king of Denmark, which resulted in the victory of the Dans.
The sun singer - Strömparterren, Stockholm
The Sun Singer was commissioned to Milles by the Swedish Academy of Art to honour the memory of Esaias Tegnér, a Swedish poet and writer. It required ten years to complete the monument. Milles choose to illustrate Tegnér poem An address to the sun . The statue on Strömparterren is facing east and sings to the rising sun. A torso version of the statue is displayed as well in Millesgården.
Europa and the bull - Millesgården & Halmstad
Industrimonumentet, Tekniska Högskola, Stockholm
There are several pieces of Carl Milles in the campus of the Tekniska Högskola. The bronze fountain, over a granit base representing the various professions. Close to it are two of the very few ceramics pieces by Carl Milles and one granit sculpture of Cerberus.
To another world - Millesgården & Lindigö
Funerary monuments
Poseidon - Millesgården & Göteborg
Angels - Millesgården
The hand of God - Millesgården
Delawaremonumentet - Göteborg
The Delaware monument was unveiled in 1938 in Willmington, Delaware, in memory of the first Swedish settlements in America. A copy of the monument wxas erected in 1958 in Göteborg, at the place where the Swedish migrants embarked for the journey to Delaware.
Other works in Millesgården, Lindigö
Other works by Carl Milles
Getting there
By public transport
- 20 minutes from T-Centralen
- Subway to Ropsen, then local buses
- Check here of time table