Just like how the tiny little pissing fella is an icon of Brussels, here's a little mermaid seated on a rock in the sea along the harbour! Atleast this time, she was almost life sized and I wasn't shocked with a tiny little sculpture.
The statue is made of bronze and was designed by Edvard Eriksen and was unveiled on 23rd Aug 1913. Guess what, I was there to meet her on her 103rd birthday in 23rd Aug 2016! It was commissioned by Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen. Its actually inspired the original fairy tale of Little Mermaid! She's sitting there on the shore considering to give up everything to unite with the man she loves. When I think of the Little Mermaid story today, that's so s*xist! Why would a woman want to give up all that she is, her identity for a man??!!! Well, that put aside, this is one beautiful sculpture!
This was modelled after the ballet dancer Ellen Price who portrayed the role of Mermaid in a play in the Royal Theatre. However only the face resembles her and the body is modeled after the sculptor's wife, as the actress refused to pose n*ked!
Just before I could reach her, there I saw a glider floating in water, just ready to take off. The first time I saw it was in the film Amelia Earhart and I've never seen it in real life and I couldn't take my eyes off it. Funny enough, as I kept looking at it, photographing & video-graphing it, people who were looking for the Little Mermaid, thought this was the location!!! Anyways, I saw the glider taxi-ing on the waterway but its takeoff happened beyond my vicinity!
A bit beyond the Mermaid was the dock for all the sail boats and that was a nice thing to see as well. Further ahead was this sculpture of an 8ft tall Polar Bear with 2 cubs created by Holger Wederkinch in 1929. Following Little Mermaid, the bears are also gonna be 100 years old in another decade! Somehow I came across this only when strolling along the harbour. Somehow this isn't famous at all!
To Get There:
Nearest Tram Stop: Østerport St
Nearest Metro station: Kongens Nytorv
To Get There:
Nearest Tram Stop: Østerport St
Nearest Metro station: Kongens Nytorv
I'm curious to know how much the bronze status is now worth. It reminds me of the little mermaid too, but yes, it looks like a man. You can build your own story and tell it to the other tourists haha.
ReplyDeleteHistory has its way of giving us things to cherish, for over a hundred years and this has been well guarded.. wow. that's magic.. good art work.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in Paris, we were asked to see the little mermaid by taking the train. I should have been more adventurous then but glad to see it in your post.
ReplyDeleteCopenhagen is incomplete without the Little Mermaid statue. I know I would like to see this statue if we get to go there.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great mermaid statue.. Lovely place.. Great view.. Love to visit there someday!
ReplyDeleteI first saw the pic of this sculpture on a bead blog a year and it inspired me to read the Little mermaid story by Hans Christen Anderson. Th real story is so sad but the mermaid ride in Disney is quite cool. You get to ride in a clam shell and listen to her sing and watch her meet her prince
ReplyDeletewow a hundred years! Good thing it's still preserved well. I love the Little Mermaid so I might look for it when I go to Denmark.
ReplyDeleteWow, you've seen the stone mermaid! Haha... I'm quite intrigued when you say it's sexist for a mermaid to want to wait for the man she loves. I usually don't judge as there are loads of women out there who take having a family as their lifelong goal.
ReplyDeleteI will keep a note on this, when I go to Europe I will try to make a stop to see ther mermaid.
ReplyDeleteShe's gorgeous! How amazing that you were there on the same date that she arrived many years earlier! I'm so jealous, all of your photos make me wish I was in them!
ReplyDeleteWow, such a nice glider! I think I haven't seen one in real life. Lovely mermaid statue too! I will have to watch out for it when I have the chance to visit.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen is one of my long-time bucket list items. She looks fabulous, although I agree that her fate in the story truly sucks! Anyway, I've always been fascinated by Denmark, after it was ranked the happiest country on Earth.
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture really does remind me of the Little Mermaid movie by Disney. I guess the sculpture was inspired by the actress' performance. I found the part where she doesn't want to pose naked funny. I mean, the way you said it made it seem hilarious. Haha! The sculpture was really well done, and I like the fact that it sits on a rock elegantly. :D
ReplyDeleteThat's funny about the polar bear sculpture. I liked seeing the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen because I saw it from a boat. I didn't have time to go visit the area more closely. So your pictures are much better than mine are!
ReplyDeleteI've been here too, and it wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. Actually, it's quite underwhelming! Still, it's a must see when in Copenhagen just to tick off the list.
ReplyDelete