Wäinö Valdemar Aaltonen is regarded as one of Finland’s leading sculptors. He studied painting and sculpture in Turku, and is mostly known for his monuments and portrait busts. Aaltonen became well-known for his sculpture placed outside of the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, the long-standing bust of long-distance runner Paavo Nurmi, which he created in 1924, and also for the portrait of the composer Jean Sibelius. Among his other well-known monuments are the sculptures of Field Marshal and later President Gustaf Mannerheim from 1953, composer and maestro Toivo Kuula, and the famous writer Aleksis Kivi.
In 1964, the City Council of Turku planned to establish a museum dedicated to Wäinö Aaltonen, and Aaltonen himself played an active part in the planning. He also released his basic collection to the museum, which was officially opened in 1967, the year after his death.
Athlete Olympic Results Content
You may like