Important Winter Sale presents Carl Milles

Bukowskis presents the work "Europa och tjuren" (Europa and the bull) by Carl Milles at the upcoming auction, Important Winter Sale – the live auction featuring the best by the best in art, antiques, Asian works of art, and jewellery.

In the sculpture group "Europa och tjuren," Carl Milles captures the contrast between the heavy, powerful bull and the graceful, feeting female figure, between masculine strength and feminine charm. Movement and flight are common characteristics in Milles' art, and Europa's fluttering cloak enhances the forward motion in an elegant manner. Despite its weight, "Europa and the Bull" conveys a sense of weightlessness. Today, "Europa och tjuren" is considered one of Carl Milles' absolute masterpieces.

During the first half of the 20th century, Milles was the sculptor who dominated the Swedish art scene. He completed a very large number of public commissions in Sweden and abroad. He was the monumental sculptor who received major decoration commissions at a time when many cities were being expanded and modernized.

In 1921, the city of Halmstad, through a donation, received funds for a city fountain, and a competition was announced. The submissions received were not up to standard, so the authorities turned directly to Milles. The choice of motif and design was clear early on for the artist, and in the same year, he wrote to his wife Olga in a letter dated June 1, 1921: "The gentlemen from Halmstad were very pleased with the Triton Fountain featuring Europa and the Bull."