Nils Aas

Nils Sigurd Aas (21 April 1933 – 10 February 2004) was a Norwegian sculptor. His art is featured in the public space in many parts of Norway, and he is represented with important works in the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and the Trondheim Kunstmuseum. He was one of the most prominent artists in modern Norwegian sculpture and is particularly well known for his statue of Haakon VII, located in the June Seventh Square in Norwegian capitol of Oslo, and for designing coins for Norwegian currency, including 10-krone and 20-krone coins.

Nils Sigurd Aas was born in Inderøy, in Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway. He grew up in a family of prominent cabinet makers. He was educated at Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts (1954–58). He subsequently worked as assistant to Norwegian abstract sculptor Arnold Haukeland (1920–1983). While working with Haukeland, Aas was introduced to an abstract idiom. He made his debut as a sculptor at the Autumn Exhibition in 1964.

Important works by Nils Aas include statues of Grete Waitz, Henrik Ibsen and Charles Chaplin and a large number of portrait busts - including those of Einar Gerhardsen, Johan Borgen, Arthur Rubinstein, Håkon Bleken, Harald Sæverud, Jakob Weidemann and Rolf Jacobsen. Nils Aas also designed a number of medals and coins, most notably the current 10 - and 20-crown coin.

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