Nr. 3: Kvinne bøyet over mange barn

Nr. 3: Kvinne bøyet over mange barn is a granite statue by Gustav Vigeland in an open-air sculpture park in Oslo. A woman bends over several children, bringing their bodies together in a scene of care and family connection. The figures stand along paths and among groups of sculptures that follow human life from childhood to old age. You can view the work from close range while walking through the park’s meeting of art and landscape.

Vigeland first shaped the figures in clay or plaster before skilled stone carvers transferred his models into granite. Norwegian quarries supplied the stone for this demanding process. His approach combines naturalistic details with stylised forms, reflecting training as a woodcarver and an interest in classical and modern art. The surrounding sculptures extend the same attention to relationships, generations and changing stages of life. Here, the woman’s bent posture gathers the children beneath her and leaves the strongest impression: a quiet image of protection carved in stone.