Ruth Milles

Ruth Milles (19April 187311February 1941) was a Swedish sculptor and writer. She is mainly known for her figurines and reliefs.

Early life and education Milles was born Ruth Anna Maria Andersson on Örby Manor in Vallentuna near Stockholm, Sweden. She was the daughter of Chief Verifier of the brännvin manufacturing in Sweden, August Emil Sebastian "Mille" Andersson (1843–1910) and his wife Walborg Alfhild Maria Tisell (1846-1879). She had two siblings when her mother died in childbirth and gained three half siblings after her father remarried. Her brother was the sculptor Carl Milles (1875–1955) and her half-brother Evert Milles (1885–1960) was an architect. Unlike her brother Carl, Milles was a college educated artist. She studied at the Tekniska Skolan (the Technical School), predecessor to the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm in 1892–93, after which she went on to the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in 1894–98, where she was considered talented enough to skip a year. She would also visit the Theosophical Society which became influential for her future works.

Career In the autumn of 1898, Milles left for Paris, approximately a year after her brother Carl had moved there. She studied at the Académie Colarossi and École des Beaux-Arts, and used Paris as base for journeys through France and Germany. Among other things, the company sold small bronze figurines, depicting children and characters from fairy tales made by her. She spent the summers in the fishing village Briac in Bretagne where she would draw inspiration from the local fishers' life for her sculptures. Her sculptures were made in an early Impressionistic style. She travelled back to Sweden and settled down in Islinge on Lidingö, and the Thiel Gallery. There is also a bust and a painting by her in the home (Strand by lake Vättern) of Ellen Key.

Sculptures – a selection

Blåsväder ("Windy weather") Flitiga Kajsa ("Diligent Kajsa") Moder med barn ("Mother and child") Flicka med knyte ("Girl with bundle") Mjölkflicka ("Milkmaid")

Publications Dagarnas grå och blommornas blå ("The Grey of the Days and the Blue of the Dreams") a collection of poems, Nationalförlaget (1918) Trollskrattet ("The Laughter of the Troll"), a children's tale, Åhlén & Åkerlund (1923) Didrik Flygare ("Didrik the Aviator"), a children's tale, Almqvist & Wiksell (1924) Glohit och Glodit ("Looky Here and Looky There"), a children's tale, Svenska andelsförlaget (1926)