Playing Children
- sculpture in Malmö

in Swedish

Playing Children

by Anders Jönsson, 1913

On Gustav Adolfs Square (IDstory) stands this vibrant group of sculptures, first unveiled to visitors during the Baltic Exhibition in Malmö, 1914. Paint merchant Eugén Wingård acquired the work for 11,000 kronor, commemorating a quarter-century of trade in Malmö. He generously gifted both the sculpture and the funds for its pool to the city, and in 1915, the figures were formally inaugurated bestowing both art and joy on future generations.

When tram tracks faded into history and the square was transformed, the sculpture was briefly removed, only to reclaim its place with a new setting during the 1990s redesign. Through the years, its lively shapes have inspired various names: The Triplets, The Shower, each echoing the playfulness at the sculpture’s heart.

About Anders Jönsson

Born in the village of Gärdslöv in 1883, Anders Jönsson’s life spanned to 1963 in Stockholm. Trained in both Stockholm and Munich, his touch was marked by a decorative realism—graceful groups, fountains, baptismal fonts and more invoked life in stone and bronze, capturing motion and gentle beauty.

Jönsson moved among artists in "The Twelve" and "The Optimists", shaping the spirit of Swedish art in his era.

His public works are woven into Sweden’s urban fabric: colossal busts at Stockholm Stadium and Vanadislunden, a fountain in Gothenburg, a statuary group in Kristianstad. In Malmö, one finds his bust of Per Henrik Ling at the Old Sports Field, and Aphrodite—sometimes called The Dance or The Dancer at the Malmö Opera House, all testament to his enduring legacy.

References

• About BiBB, a media company and an encyclopedia 4.0
• Om Lennart Jönsson, Wikipedia
• Text: Christian Kindblad | Photo: Jonas Andréasson

Published: 2003.06 Updated: 2025.09.08

Kategorier 20 Kultur 12

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