“What on earth is that?” I once heard a tourist exclaim. It was their first glimpse of Det entomologiska kvinnorovet. This bronze sculpture stands outside the Karolinska Institutet.
Hello everyone. Today we explore Eric Grate’s thought-provoking sculpture. Det entomologiska kvinnorovet translates to “The Entomological Abduction of a Woman.” It is a conversation piece to say the least.
Installed in 1958, Det entomologiska kvinnorovet sparked immediate debate. The story behind it involves art, controversy and a touch of the surreal. The sculpture sits on a four-meter high granite pillar. Many pass by without noticing it. From a distance, it could resemble an antique capital. Perhaps it looks like a flower on a stalk.
The sculpture shows three figures rendered in a cubist style. A woman and a man are running. They are carrying a third figure. This figure is a woman without arms or legs. The abducted woman wears a hat or crown. The man carrying her has insect-like antennae.
Eric Grate conceived the idea in the 1920s while in Paris. He saw Miss Violetta. She was an Austrian woman without limbs. Miss Violetta was displayed on a tray at Luna Parc. Artists and writers found her helplessness attractive. Surrealists especially admired her. She became a popular subject in their art.
Grate worked on the artwork from 1930. Initially, it was a terracotta relief. Later he created smaller sculptures in bronze and limestone. The terracotta relief showed a rounded woman with one large breast. She also had a frilly skirt. The abductor had insect features. He gripped the woman with feelers and suckers.
When Grate reworked the relief for the Karolinska Institutet, he made changes. He reduced details and added cubist elements. He also accentuated the motion of the running couple. “Medical symbolism” was never intended.
Karolinska Institutet’s faculty was not thrilled. They voted against the sculpture. They argued it evoked illness and deformity. They thought it did not represent the healing arts.
Sweden’s Public Arts Council ignored the faculty. Instead, they sought the opinion of the medical students. The students approved the sculpture. The Arts Council then mocked the faculty. They said future faculty would likely consist of these students.
The installation of Det entomologiska kvinnorovet triggered a press debate. One headline read “Legless Female Figure Meets Medical Protest.” A medical professor asked Grate to add arms and legs.
To appease the professors, Axel Hirsch donated another sculpture. It was Nils Möllerberg’s “Mother and Child.” Hirsch hoped its simple theme would not hinder appreciation. The rector called it “wonderfully beautiful and delightful”.
The government resolved the matter. Det entomologiska kvinnorovet was erected in 1958. It has stood there since without causing much controversy. Möllerberg’s “Mother and Child” was moved to the Hagströmer Library in 2010.
Det entomologiska kvinnorovet remains a symbol of artistic expression. It reminds us that art can provoke thought. It also shows how opinions change over time. What was once controversial is now an accepted landmark. As we conclude our visit, consider the layers of meaning. Think about the story behind Det entomologiska kvinnorovet.