Alina Forsman (1845–1899) was a Finnish sculptor. She is referred to as the first female sculptor in

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

.kansallisbiografia Suomen kansallisbiografia (National Biography of Finland)

Life

Alina Forsman reportedly had a "burning interest" for the art of sculpture. Forsman's interest in sculpture was controversial for a woman at a time when sculpturing was regarded as a masculine subject.Suomen kansallisbiografia (National Biography of Finland) She debuted as a sculptor in 1871. She studied art in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 1873–75 and in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

in 1875–78. She can be regarded as the first female Finnish sculptor rather than Eveliina Särkelä (1847–1939), active just shortly after her, who is normally referred to a such; however, Forsman mainly worked abroad rather than in her native Finland. From 1887 onward, she lived permanently in Germany; first in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, and later in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...

References

kansallisbiografia Suomen kansallisbiografia (National Biography of Finland)
1845 births 1899 deaths 19th-century Finnish sculptors Artists from the Grand Duchy of Finland 19th-century sculptors from the Russian Empire Women sculptors from the Russian Empire Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the German Empire Finnish women sculptors 19th-century Finnish women artists Finnish emigrants to Germany {{Finland-sculptor-stub