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Morianbron

Morianbron is a small wooden bridge in the gardens of Ulriksdal Palace in Solna, Sweden, and is said to be one of the smallest bridges in the Swedish capital. It crosses the small stream Igelbäcken and takes its name from the pair of sculptures standing on either side. The figures are bronze sculptures painted black, showing two black men in loincloths pulling a fishing net beneath the bridge. They were modelled in the early 19th century by the sculptor Per Lundgren and brought to Ulriksdal Palace from the royal gardens at Hagaparken, where they once stood by the canals.

Morianbron sculpture standing on a boulder beside a stream with a rope and wooden walkway nearby
Morianbron stands on a boulder beside a small stream in Ulriksdal Castle Garden.
August 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Close-up of Morianbron showing an inscribed dark stone with the name Lundgren and the dates 1745 and 1845.
A close-up of Morianbron, with the name Lundgren and the dates 1745 and 1845 carved into the stone.
May 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Morianbron with dark human-shaped statues on stone pedestals beside a narrow bridge over a stream in a wooded park.
Morianbron spans a calm stream in a wooded park, with dark statues marking each end of the crossing.
1890 © Axel Sjöberg (1865-1936) · Public domain
Morianbron beside a pond with a suspension bridge, dark statues, and a classical mansion in the background
Morianbron appears beside a suspension bridge in this antique view of Hagaparken, with a mansion and pond in the background.
© · Public domain
Morianbron statue beside a canal with a small arched bridge in the background.
Morianbron stands beside a calm canal, with a small arched bridge and bare trees beyond.
January 2008 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleMorianbron
TypeDecorative bridge sculpture; a bridge setting with two sculptural figures
Alternative nameMoorish Bridge

Historical context

Date of creationEarly 19th century
Cultural contextReflects the 18th- and early 19th-century fashion for exotic figures and garden caprices

Creator

DesignerPer Henrik Lundgren
Designer occupationSwedish sculptor and medallist

Discovery and provenance

FoundryLudvigsberg foundry, Stockholm
Original locationHaga Park, Stockholm
Original settingOriginally intended for the Haga Palace and park ensemble under King Gustav III's grand project, which was not realized
Former locationBy the network of canals that once flowed through Hagaparken, in front of the Haga Palace that was actually built
RelocationMoved to Ulriksdal Palace Park in 1863 after the channel in Haga Park dried up
Later locationUlriksdal Palace Park, Solna, Sweden

Physical characteristics

Bridge structureA small cast-iron pedestrian bridge without railings, topped with wooden decking
Stream belowIgelbäcken
Figure placementOne figure at each end of the bridge, installed on natural boulders and set diagonally opposite each other
Number of figures2
Figure heightApproximately human height

Materials

MaterialBronze; cast iron
Bridge surfaceWooden decking
Surface colorPainted black
DecorationTraditionally painted in colors; paint is periodically refreshed

Appearance

Depicted figuresTwo black men dressed only in loincloths, pulling a fishing net
Loincloth colorsOne red-and-white striped, one blue-and-white striped

Iconography and meaning

Comparative referenceMentioned in relation to artists such as Eugène Delacroix
SubjectBlackamoors (Moorish figures)
Anecdotal associationA story says a lady on the bridge fell in love with the two men and threw herself into the stream when she could not choose between them
Iconographic settingAssociated with a romantic and picturesque setting

Location and ownership

Current locationUlriksdal Palace Park, outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden
Associated bridgeMorianbron; a small bridge over Igelbäcken, possibly the smallest bridge in the Swedish capital

History and restoration

Relocation date1863
Date of figure casting1845
RestorationPainted in 2015 to renew the historical color scheme

Significance

StatusThe picturesque bridge still stands in Ulriksdal Palace Park