The work was made in 1923, but the first cast was made in 1928 and placed in Viipuri's Torkkeli park. Mäntynen donated the plaster model to the City of Helsinki. Three additional casts were made, placed in the Erkko park in Lahti (1955), Kupittaa park in Turku (1969) and the front of the Natural History Museum in Helsinki. Mäntynen later revealed that 'The Elk' was inspired by the Demon Elk in Kalevala.
Artist
Jussi Mäntynen (Helsinki 1886 - 1978),
Finnish sculptor
(Wikipedia).
