Nr. 5: Gammel mann sitter og holder om fire gutter

Nr. 5: Gammel mann sitter og holder om fire gutter is a bronze statue by Gustav Vigeland. It stands among his other sculptures in a park in Oslo, open to view from every side. The statue shows an old man seated and holding four boys, all cast as one group.

His work stays close to the human form and to the ways people relate to one another. Oslo holds much of his output, and the statues gathered there count among the city's major works of public art. This one pairs the oldest figure with the youngest, so the meeting of generations sits at the heart of it. The surrounding pieces carry you through themes of family, care and the ties between people.

Bronze suits sculpture that lives outdoors, since it survives the weather and takes a patina as the years pass. Stand close and the fine detail shows, because the park keeps nothing between you and the group. The metal endures, so the boys stay small and the old man stays old for everyone who comes after.