Unveiled on 23 August 1913, ‘The Little Mermaid’ was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up everything to be united with a young, handsome prince on land. Every morning and evening she swims to the surface from the bottom of the sea and, perched on her rock in the water, she stares longingly towards the shore hoping to catch a glimpse of her beloved prince.
Carl Jacobsen fell in love with the character after watching a ballet performance based on the fairy tale at the Royal Danish Theatre. The brewer was so captivated by both the fairy tale and the ballet that he commissioned the sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a sculpture of the mermaid. Eriksen’s wife, Eline Eriksen, posed for the sculpture.
Please note that you have to ask for permission to use photos of The Little Mermaid. Please e-mail information to eriksen@mermaidsculpture.dk. Find more information here: http://www.mermaidsculpture.dk.
