Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Kópakonan

Kópakonan is a sculpture associated with one of the best-known Faroese folk tales, the legend of the seal woman. The story tells of a seal who was once a human woman and was taken from the sea by a young farmer from Mikladalur on the island of Kalsoy. She lived with him for years and bore him children, but eventually returned to the ocean. In the legend, she later appears in seal form to warn her former husband not to kill her current seal family during a hunt. He ignores the warning, and after the seals are killed, she appears as a terrifying troll and places a curse on the people of Mikladalur.

Kópakonan bronze statue standing on dark rocks by the water with misty mountains behind it.
Kópakonan stands on the rocky shore in Mikladalur, with green mountains and an overcast sky in the background.
May 2024 © lamblukas · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleKópakonan
Alternative namethe "seal woman" legend

Historical context

Cultural originFaroese folklore
Legend portrayedThe seal woman (Kópakonan) from the Faroese folktale: kidnapped by a farmer from Mikladalur, she lived as his wife and mother of his children, returned to the sea, and later cursed the people of Mikladalur after her seal husband and two young sons were killed
Legend settingMikladalur, on Kalsoy, with scenes associated with the coast, ocean, a farm, and a cave on a remote shore
Narrative motifOn the thirteenth night of the year, seals were believed to come ashore, remove their skins, and dance like humans

Iconography and meaning

Depicted figureA female seal-human being from Faroese folklore
MotifsTransformation between human and seal form; revenge curse on the people of Mikladalur
ProphecyPeople of Mikladalur will continue to die at sea or fall from cliffs until there are enough dead to join hands all the way around the coast of Kalsoy

Creator

ArtistHans Pauli Olsen

Location and ownership

LocationMikladalur, Kalsoy, Faroe Islands
Associated withMikladalur village

History and restoration

InstalledAugust 2014
Wave eventAn 11.5-meter wave struck the sculpture in early 2015; no damage was caused

Materials

MaterialBronze and stainless steel

Physical characteristics

Height2.6 meters
Weight450 kilograms

Other

Designed to withstand wavesBuilt to withstand pressure from 13-meter waves