What marble statue in Copenhagen harbor is based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale?
Answer
The Little Mermaid
The marble statue in Copenhagen harbor based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is The Little Mermaid.
The bronze sculpture depicts the mermaid from Andersen’s 1837 story as she sits on a rock at Copenhagen’s Langelinie promenade. The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, heir to the Carlsberg brewery, after he saw a ballet inspired by the tale.
Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen created the statue, which was unveiled on August 23, 1913. Ballerina Ellen Price inspired the face, while Eriksen’s wife, Eline, modeled for the body. Despite its fame, the statue is relatively small—about 1.25 meters tall.
The fairy tale is darker than many modern adaptations: Andersen’s mermaid gives up her voice and life in the sea in hopes of gaining a human soul. The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, and The Little Match Girl are also Andersen tales, but none is represented by this Copenhagen landmark.