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Kristján IX

Kristján IX

Einar Jónsson


  • Year : 1907-1908
  • Height : 240 cm
  • Width : 75 cm
  • Category : Skúlptúr
  • Sub-category : Málmskúlptúr

Location: In front of Stjórnarráðið. Owned by the Icelandic state. On 26 September, 1915, a monument to Christian IX, King of Denmark, was unveiled in front of the Cabinet Building in Reykjavík. The statue depicts the king holding the constitution in his outstretched hand. Many people have wondered why Icelanders chose to install a statue of the Danish king in front of the Cabinet Building. Christian IX was never very sympathetic to the Icelanders’ point of view in their struggle for independence, but the main argument for the statue’s presence has presumably been that he gave the Icelandic people its constitution. However, it has now been revealed that King Christian never handed the Icelanders the constitution during his visit to Iceland in 1874. It didn’t arrive until 1904, and was sent back in 1928. Hence, the statue can be said to be a falsification of history. Apart from this, the statue is similar to other statues which Einar created as memorials to influential men in Iceland’s history. King Christian stands on a pedestal, a glorified imitation.

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