Nína Sæmundsson facts for kids

Nína Sæmundsson was an amazing artist from Iceland. She was born in 1892 and passed away in 1965. Nína became well-known for creating beautiful sculptures and paintings. She worked as an artist from the 1920s to the 1960s. Her art journey took her to big cities like Los Angeles and New York City, as well as her home country, Iceland.

Nína Sæmundsson's Life and Art

Nína Sæmundsson was born Jónína Sæmundsdóttir on August 22, 1892. She grew up in a place called Fljótshlíð in South Iceland. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Reykjavík, the capital city.

Her Art Education

Nína studied art at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. This famous art school is located in Charlottenborg Palace in Denmark. She learned from talented teachers like Julius Schultz and Einar Utzon-Frank. After finishing her studies in 1920, Nína traveled around Europe. She moved to New York City in 1926.

Working in America

By the mid-1930s, Nína Sæmundsson moved to Hollywood in Los Angeles. She lived there for many years. Nína also taught art classes at the Hollywood Art Center School.

She became a popular artist for making portraits of famous people. The actress Hedy Lamarr even posed for a sculpture Nína created. This sculpture was shown at the 1939 New York World's Fair. It won a first-place award!

Nína also worked in the film industry. She helped create sculptures for the movie The Moon and Sixpence in 1942. This movie was directed by Albert Lewin.

Later Years

Nína spent her last years focusing on painting. In 1955, she moved back to Iceland. She passed away on January 29, 1965.

Famous Sculptures and Artworks

Nína Sæmundsson created many public artworks that people can still see today. Here are some of her well-known pieces:

• Mother's Love (1928): This statue is in Mæðragarður (Mothers Garden) in Reykjavík, Iceland.
• The Spirit of Achievement (1931): This tall, winged statue is above the entrance of the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
• Prometheus Bringing Fire to Earth (1935): This is an 8-foot bronze statue. It shows Prometheus holding a torch up to a globe of the world. You can find it in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California. This artwork was part of a special government program called the Federal Art Project.
• Leif Erikson bust (1936): This sculpture of Leif Erikson is at the entrance to Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California.
• The Mermaid (1966): Also known as Hafmeyjan, this statue is in Tjörnin lake in Reykjavík, Iceland.

See also

• List of sculptors
• List of Icelandic visual artists
• List of Icelandic women artists