Granite whispers stories of a bygone era. This is Fontändamm. It is a fountain sculpture in Aspudden.
Fontändamm stands as a testament to early 20th-century Stockholm architecture. The sculpture was created in 1912. Albin Brag was the architect behind this artistic endeavor. The construction firm Manhem financed Fontändamm. They also commissioned Brag to design residential buildings in the area.
Byggnads AB Manhem was a significant developer in Aspudden. They shaped the district’s architectural identity. Many of their buildings featured enclosed courtyard designs. The buildings had elaborate gables. They included bay windows and sharply angled roofs. All this in a simple Art Nouveau style. This added to the district’s uniform character.
Manhemsgatan got its name from the construction firm. The street became the heart of their development. In the middle of Manhemsgatan, a small park was created. This park became the home for Fontändamm in 1912. The LÖvsmygen block sits at Hägerstensvägen and Manhemsgatan. It was one of the many blocks designed by Albin Brag. His sculpture was placed here to adorn the small park.
Fontändamm embodies simple Art Nouveau style. It features a boy. The boy is sitting and leaning against a large stone. The composition rests on a pedestal. This pedestal sits inside a fountain basin. Granite forms the sculpture. It connects the artwork to the earth.
Early fountains were erected on a larger scale. This happened when parks and public gardens were built around the turn of the century in the early 1900s. Stockholm embraced fountains and ponds. The city integrated these water features into its parks and squares. Fontändamm stands as an early example of this trend.
Stockholm’s oldest functioning fountain is Molins fontän. It was erected in Kungsträdgården in 1873. Johan Peter Molin designed the bronze fountain sculpture. Molin received the order in the spring of 1866. It was unveiled on September 25, 1873. This was shortly after Molin’s death.
Another early fountain sculpture is Tors fiske. It was built in 1903 at Mariatorget. Anders Henrik Wissler designed the bronze sculpture group and fountain. The sculpture shows the Norse god Tor. He has captured the Midgard worm. Tor raises his hammer Mjölner. He is ready to destroy the snake. Two water-spraying lizards flank the central figure.
Other early fountain sculptures include Vesslan. It is located at Kungsholmstorg. Otto Valdemar Strandman created it in 1912. Triton på delfin is in Centralbadsparken. Greta Klemming designed it in 1923.
Fontändamm remains a captivating piece of art. It connects the past with the present. The fountain serves as a reminder of Aspudden’s architectural heritage. It highlights the vision of Albin Brag and Byggnads AB Manhem.