The red granite sculpture Sjöguden by Carl Milles

In the heart of Gamla Stan, Stockholm, stands the sculpture of Sjöguden, created by Carl Milles in 1913. Crafted from red granite, it is one of Milles' heaviest creations (tyngsta skapelserna).

Originally, Milles intended to place ten massive, sculptural figures at regular intervals along the city's quays. This idea met with little response, and only Sjöguden was completed. The sculpture was first erected at its current location on Skeppsbron near Räntmästartrappan in 1930.

This massive figure, which presses against a shy mermaid, represents the finale of Milles' German-influenced style with simple, smooth surfaces. At the same time, Sjöguden marks the beginning of a new stylistic direction where the water world and marine fauna would dominate Milles' future works.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons