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Povl Søndergaard was a Danish sculptor whose work combined classical craftsmanship with a strong sense of form and a deeply humanistic expression. Born in Ringsted, he began his artistic training as an apprentice stonemason, developing a practical understanding of materials that would shape his sculptural style throughout his career. He later attended the Technical School before enrolling at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where he studied under Einar Utzon-Frank.
Søndergaard made his debut at the Artists' Autumn Exhibition (Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling) in 1929 and quickly established himself as a promising sculptor. In 1931, he was awarded the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts' Gold Medal for Pige der sætter sit hår, a work that already demonstrated his ability to combine classical ideals with a more lyrical and organic naturalism. A number of scholarships enabled him to travel and study in Greece, Italy, Spain, and France, broadening his understanding of both classical and modern European sculpture.
Throughout his career, Søndergaard completed numerous commissions for public spaces. Among his best-known works is the monument commemorating those who lost their lives on 29 August 1943 and 19 September 1944, located at Bispebjerg Cemetery in Copenhagen. The monument combines emotional depth with monumental simplicity. He also contributed to the restoration of Eigtved's Marble Bridge at Christiansborg Palace, reflecting both his technical skill and his respect for Denmark's architectural heritage.
Alongside his artistic practice, Søndergaard played an active role in Danish cultural life. He served in several leading roles within the Danish arts community, including on the Danish Arts Foundation and the Academy Council, where he helped shape Danish arts policy and support conditions for artists.
Stylistically, Povl Søndergaard is often considered closer to Kai Nielsen than to his own teacher, Einar Utzon-Frank. While Utzon-Frank's work was rooted in a strict classical tradition, Søndergaard developed a softer and more animated style, in which the human figure appears both idealised and sensuously present. His work remains an important contribution to twentieth-century Danish sculpture, firmly grounded in tradition while distinguished by its own distinctive sense of form, emotion and materiality.
Bronze on Granite Pedestal
1961
185 cm
About the Artwork
The New Carlsberg Foundation commissioned a bronze cast of this sculpture at the Charlottenborg Exhibition in 1932 and donated it to the Maribo Art Museum. The version at Hotel Nyborg Strand dates from 1961.
Pige der sætter hår was presented to Julius Hansens Trikotagefabrik in Copenhagen by the company's employees to mark its 50th anniversary. The factory was later sold, and in 1981 Julius Hansen's son and daughter donated the sculpture to Hotel Nyborg Strand. Julius Hansen was one of the driving forces behind the rebuilding of the hotel after the Second World War. He died shortly after the project was completed.
A commemorative plaque has been installed at the hotel. In Salon 9, you can also see a portrait of Manufacturer Julius Hansen, painted in 1948.
The artwork can be found in the park in front of Spa & Fitness.
