Edvard Eriksen sculpted Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s tale. The bronze statue was unveiled on 23 August 1913 at Langelinie promenade.
The monument was commissioned by brewer and art patron Carl Jacobsen, whose interest in the story was strengthened after seeing a ballet based on Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Eriksen’s wife, Eline Eriksen, served as the model for the mermaid’s body, while the face was based on ballerina Ellen Price.
The statue is often described simply as “the Little Mermaid,” but it is not an original object from Andersen’s lifetime. Andersen wrote the tale in 1837, while Eriksen’s sculpture was created decades later. The statue has also been repeatedly vandalized and restored.