The Lyre-Playing Angel of Death: Carl Milles' Unique Tribute to Strindberg and

Genius, or Lyrspelande ängel, is a sculpture created by Carl Milles between 1932 and 1940. This bronze sculpture represents a lyre-playing angel, which was intended as a tribute and token of respect for August Strindberg. Lyrspelande figures frequently appeared in Milles' art, such as in Orfeusgruppen in Stockholm. The lyre symbolizes poetry and death.

In 1939, Milles received a commission for a grave monument for actor Gösta Ekman d.é, who passed away in 1938. Milles suggested ‘Genius’. He took the sculpture with him to Cranbrook in the U.S, where he lived since 1931, and completed it until 1940. Genius was placed in 1949 at Gösta Ekmans grave on Norra begravningsplatsen (North Cemetery) in Solna, Sweden. Replicas of Genius can be found on Millesgården on Lidingö, just below Manillaskolan on Djurgården (Djurgårdens) in Stockholm, and on Cranbrook.

Two other replicas of ‘Genius’ can be found in Göteborg, which were donated by the director Hilding Göransson. One ‘Genius’ is located in Millesparken at Sankt Sigfrids plan, and the other one at Sahlgrenska sjukhuset.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons