The Åkjær girl
The Åkjær Girl
This granite sculpture of a reclining woman by a rye field was created by Anker Hoffmann and unveiled in 1942. It honors poet Jeppe Aakjær and his connection to the Jutland landscape.
Inscription:
"I lay down in shelter here at the foot of the tall rye,
I listen and I listen until it sings in my blood."
The Åkjær Girl – a monument of granite and poetry
At the edge of a rye field lies a woman carved in granite – calm, listening, and deeply connected to the surrounding landscape. The sculpture Åkjær Girl was unveiled in 1942 and created by sculptor Anker Hoffmann. It is a poetic monument honoring Jeppe Aakjær’s life’s work and his profound bond with the nature and spirit of Jutland.
The sculpture bears an inscription from Aakjær’s poem:
"I lay down in shelter here at the foot of the tall rye,
I listen and I listen until it sings in my blood."
With its reclining form and placement by the field, the monument expresses quiet strength and deep respect for the rhythm of nature. The granite is carefully shaped, and the figure appears both simple and symbolic – a tribute to the Jutland landscape and the people within it.