Walter Runeberg

Walter Runeberg
File:O. J. Aune - Walter Runeberg (crop).jpg Portrait photograph of Walter Runeberg, 1870–1875
Born	Walter Magnus Runeberg (1838-12-29)29 December 1838 Porvoo, Finland)
Died	Helsinki, Finland
Nationality	Finnish
Known for	Sculpture
Movement	Neo-classical
Spouse(s)	Lina Elfving (m. 1867; her death 1916)

Walter Magnus Runeberg (29 December 1838 – 23 December 1920) was a Finnish neo-classical sculptor. He was the son of Finnish national poet J. L. Runeberg.

Biography

Runeberg was born in Porvoo as the eldest son of J. L. Runeberg and his wife, Fredrika Tengström. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, and with sculptor Carl Eneas Sjöstrand. From 1858 through 1869 he studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under Herman Wilhelm Bissen, acquiring a clear influence from the neoclassical style of Bissen's master Bertel Thorvaldsen. He married Lina Elfving (1841–1916) in 1867. They had six children.

File:Walter Runeberg and his wife Lina.jpg

With his wife Lina in Rome, 1868

File:Walter Runeberg by Berndtson.jpg

Portrait by Gunnar Berndtson, 1879

After periods living and working in Rome and Paris, Runeberg produced many of Helsinki's best-known examples of monumental public art. The largest is the Alexander II Monument in Senate Square, a commission awarded jointly to Runeberg and sculptor Johannes Takanen, then completed by Runeberg after Takanen's death in 1885. The pedestal features several allegorical figures. Notably, the figure representing Law is a version of the Suomi-neito, the Finnish maiden, here cloaked in bearskin.

Runeberg in his studio, 1910s

He is buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.

File:Runeberg family grave hietaniemi 1.jpg

Runeberg family grave, Hietaniemi Cemetery, Helsinki

Works

Statue of Alexander II

Alexander III being shown a work-in-progress of the statue of Alexander II on 9 August 1885 at House of Nobility Alexander III being shown a work-in-progress of the statue of Alexander II on 9 August 1885 at House of Nobility  Reveal of the statue of Alexander II on 29 April 1894 at Senate Square Reveal of the statue of Alexander II on 29 April 1894 at Senate Square  The statue with its accompanying structure The statue with its accompanying structure  The statue itself up close from the front The statue itself up close from the front  Alexander II from the side Alexander II from the side  Close-up from the front with Helsinki Cathedral's John the Apostle in the background Close-up from the front with Helsinki Cathedral's John the Apostle in the background  Statues at the bottom, with the four sides representing Law, Trade, Peace and Labor  Law Law  Trade Trade  Peace Peace  Labor Labor  Model for Trade, called Science and Art Model for Trade, called Science and Art  Model for Law Model for Law  [[Vladimir Putin in Finland 2-3 September 2001-16.jpg|center|border|180x130px|alt=|One of the two copies of Law displayed at the Presidential Palace (pictured in 2001)]] One of the two copies of Law displayed at the Presidential Palace (pictured in 2001)  [[House of the Estates.jpg|center|border|180x130px|alt=|The other copy at the House of the Estates]] The other copy at the House of the Estates

Other notable works

Ilmarinen Forging the Moon, 1866 Ilmarinen Forging the Moon, 1866  Apollo and Marsyas at the entry lobby of Ateneum, 1874 Apollo and Marsyas at the entry lobby of Ateneum, 1874  1885 reveal of the statue of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, his father 1885 reveal of the statue of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, his father  Johan Ludvig Runeberg, with the Finnish national anthem Vårt land by him inscribed at the bottom Johan Ludvig Runeberg, with the Finnish national anthem Vårt land by him inscribed at the bottom  Per Brahe Statue in Turku, 1888 Per Brahe Statue in Turku, 1888  Slightly larger version of the same Per Brahe statue in Raahe from the same year Slightly larger version of the same Per Brahe statue in Raahe from the same year  Henrik Borgström monument, Taka-Töölö district of Helsinki, 1888 Henrik Borgström monument, Taka-Töölö district of Helsinki, 1888  Two bronze Danaids in the Meilahti neighborhood of Helsinki, 1893 Two bronze Danaids in the Meilahti neighborhood of Helsinki, 1893  Allegorical figures on the exterior of the rotunda, National Library of Finland, with fellow sculptor Karl Magnus Mellgren (fi), 1905 Allegorical figures on the exterior of the rotunda, National Library of Finland, with fellow sculptor Karl Magnus Mellgren, 1905  [[Patsas.jpg|center|border|180x160px|alt=|Psyche carried by Zephyrs at the Presidential Palace, 1872]] Psyche carried by Zephyrs at the Presidential Palace, 1872

File:Walter Runeberg Kleobis ja Biton 1878.jpg

Kleobis and Biton on the facade of the Old Student House, Helsinki, 1878

See also

• Art in Finland
• Golden Age of Finnish Art