ABOUT THE STATUE AND THE CHARACTER BEING PORTRAYED:
The statue depicts Per Aabel in the garb of the character Jean de France that he portrayed on stage. He is in fancy French garb, including tights under a thigh-length, long-sleeved coat with ruffles at the collar from the shirt he wears under the coat. He is holding a cane in his right hand with his arm stretched out to right. His left hand is also raised to chest level in front of his body. He is wear healed shoes with a buckle. The statue sits atop two-tiered rectangular stone plinth. Inscribed on the plinth are these words: "Per Aabel som Jean de France" which translates to "Per Aabel as Jean de France" in English.
"Jean de France was a theatre production by The National Theatre, produced in 1956, and based on the play by Ludvig Holberg.
Knut Hergel directed it and Per Aabel interpreted the title role.
Per Aabel also acted in the title role when The National Theatre staged Jean de France in 1942.
Nina Sundbye's statue of Per Aabel shows him as Jean de France. The statue is placed outside of The National Theatre, and was uncovered in 1999."
--Sceneweb (
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"“Jean de France” is Ludvig Holberg’s character comedy written as an homage to Moliere, following the trappings of Commedia dell Arte. Hans Frandsen is excited that his 20 year old son, Hans, is returning home from a three month sojourn to Paris, but his neighbor, and future in-law, Jeronimus is skeptical. Rumor has it that Hans has assimilated all too many aspects of pretentious French culture starting with his name, which he has changed to “Jean de France.” When Jean enters, his attire, attitudes and language demonstrate that he has become obsessed with putting on French airs. The boy’s fiancée, Elsebet is horrified by his behavior and has also fallen in love with an honorable Dane, Antonius. Her maid and house boy agree to develop an intrigue that will reveal the ridiculousness of Jean de France’s behavior and end their engagement. They devise a series of ludicrous “new Parisian fashions” all which Jean assimilates making his behavior even more outlandish. Humiliated, Jean vows to return to Paris allowing Elsebet to marry Antonius."
--Source (
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ABOUT THE MAN:
"Per Pavels Aabel (25 April 1902 – 22 December 1999) was a respected and honored Norwegian actor, artist, dancer, choreographer and instructor.
Biography
Per Aabel was the son of Hauk Aabel, a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish silent film. He studied at Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in London, after studying at the ballet teacher Enrico Cecchetti. He also attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. He then embarked on training with the theatre director Max Reinhardt in Vienna before making his stage debut in 1931.
Aabel spent a number of years as a principal actor and teacher with major theatre companies in Oslo during the 1930s, and was the director of Carl Johan Teatret between 1933 to 1938. He did not appear in film until the late 1930s. He is more renowned though for his work with the Norwegian theatre. He was employed at the Centralteatret from 1938 to 1940 and the Nationaltheatret from 1940 to 1972.
In the public mind he is probably best remembered as an esteemed raconteur. After his retirement, Per Aabel was a frequent entertainer on television as a storyteller. He appeared frequently at national events and artist anniversaries. His statue, by Norwegian sculptor Nina Emilie Sundbye, was unveiled outside the stage entrance of the Nationaltheatret in 1999."
--Wikipedia (
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