Maaemo suojelee poikiaan / Mother Earth protects her sons

“Mother Earth protects her sons”, dated 1959, is one of Wäinö Aaltonen’s (1894-1966) late works. Aaltonen was no longer committed to heavy monumentalism in his figures; “Mother Earth protects her sons” shows an expressive undercurrent. The Classicism of the boy in the work is countered by a more cubistically sketched symbolical female figure.

The work was unveiled on June 5, 1960 and is located at the Munkkiniemi soldiers’ grave. The bronze cast sculpture is 2.4 metres high, not including it’s grey granite pedestal on which the words “Pro Patria” (for the fatherland) are inscribed. The work belongs to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed and curated by HAM.