Ville Vallgren

The recorded working language is Swedish, Finnish and French. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are Symbolism. Places of work recorded in the authority are Paris, Helsinki and Porvoo. Works named in the authority record are Havis Amanda. Work by Ville Vallgren is recorded in the collections of Nationalmuseum, Finnish National Gallery, HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy and Ateneum. Distinctions recorded are Ducat Prize, Knight of the Legion of Honour and Officer of the Legion of Honour.

• Name — Ville Vallgren • Born — 15 December 1855 • Birthplace — Porvoo, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire (now Finland) • Died — 13 October 1940 • Place of death — Helsinki, Finland • Field — Sculpture • Education — École des Beaux-Arts

• Illustration — Havis Amanda, 1906 (reveal in 1908), his most famous work He was born in Porvoo, and long resident in Paris, whither he went in 1878, after studying architecture in the Helsinki Polytechnic. He entered the École des Beaux-Arts, studied under Cavelier.

In 1882, he married Swedish sculptor Antoinette Vallgren, with whom he worked together. She died in 1911. The same year, he married French opera singer and painter Madeleine Imbert-Rohan, but the marriage was rocky from the start and ended only two years later. That year in 1913, he moved back to Finland, where he met and married his third wife, Finnish sculptor Viivi Paarmio.

He died on 13 October 1940 in Helsinki, and he was buried in Porvoo.

His mirrors, figurines, lamp stands, urns, and candelabra established his reputation as a decorative artist. Of his statues and portraits, several are in New York City in the Vanderbilt collection, notably Death and Resurrection and A Breton Girl. His works in Finland include a Mariatta, in the Imperial Castle, and a Christ in the National Museum at Helsinki. The marble group Maternity is in the Museum of Arras, and a bronze statuette, Youth, in the Berlin National Gallery.