Mädchen mit erhobenen Armen

Mädchen mit erhobenen Armen is a bronze sculpture by Swiss artist Hermann Haller, standing in Zurich as public art. The title names the figure with direct simplicity. A nude young woman lifts both arms, creating an upright pose with visible tension and a sense of movement. A tall pedestal raises the bronze figure above its surroundings. Haller focused on human bodies, especially female figures, and this sculpture reflects that sustained artistic interest. Light catches the bronze contours across the figure’s surface. The sculpture began as a plaster version, while the bronze casting later entered Zurich’s public landscape. Haller also designed his former studio in Zurich. That studio preserves works and working traces, linking the finished figure with Haller’s process of modelling and casting. The sculpture belongs to Zurich’s tradition of public art. Its raised arms and elevated position give the work a clear vertical presence within the city. Haller was born in Bern and died in Zurich, connecting the sculpture with Swiss places. The upward gesture defines the figure’s outline against its setting.