Sarastus / Daybreak

Aaltonen was the most prominent sculptors of the newly independent Finland and the artist behind several nationally important monuments. As Aaltonen’s works, such as the Paavo Nurmi statue, accentuated patriotic values, it is no wonder he became a ‘national artist’ like Akseli Gallen-Kallela, and known to every Finn for his war memorials and other works.

The bronze piece set on a red granite pedestal depicts a beautiful young woman admiring the rising sun, protecting her eyes from its blinding rays. The work was commissioned directly from the artist by the Bank of Finland.

The work doesn’t belong to the collections of the Helsinki Art Museum.