The Little Mermaid is a bronze statue on a rock by the waterside at Langelinie in Copenhagen, unveiled in August 1913. It was commissioned by Carl Jacobsen, the brewer behind the Carlsberg Foundation, after he saw a ballet based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. The sculptor was Edvard Eriksen, who modelled the figure on the ballerina Ellen Price for the face, with his wife Eline used as the model for the body. The statue is little more than a metre tall but has become one of the best-known symbols of Denmark and attracts visitors from around the world. It has been vandalised several times, being decapitated in 1964 and again in 1998, and has been repaired each time.
Before and after
- 6 December 1912The bust of Nefertiti is found
- 1913Origins of anthroposophy
- 1913Rise of Suprematism
- 1913Rise of Constructivism
- 1913The Little Mermaid
- 1913Founding of Parma Calcio 1913
- 1913Ford introduces the moving assembly line
- 9 January 1913Birth of Richard Nixon
- 2 February 1913Construction of Grand Central Terminal
More in Art, literature & culture
- 1863Origins of Baháʼí Faith
- 17 November 1869Construction of Suez Canal
- 1871The Internationale
- 31 March 1889Construction of Eiffel Tower
- 1894Radio
- from 6 April 1896 to 15 April 18961896 Summer Olympics
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.