Maire Männik – an Estonian Legend in Paris

Maire Männik is an Estonian sculptor who is relatively little known, but those who met her in Paris (Lennart Meri, Urmo Raus, Ene Rämmald, etc.) were fascinated by her brilliant personality and creativity. Assessment by art historians: Maire Männik belongs to the Estonian art classics and is one of the most prominent Estonian sculptors who worked abroad in the decades after the war.

Maire Männik (1922-2003), with a relatively harsh and complicated destiny, was born in Tartu and left Paris as a refugee for war via Germany and Sweden, where she remained for the rest of his life. Maire Männik was left with a rich legacy – portraiture, public sculptures, medals, busts, etc.

The most interesting part of Männiku’s work is the airy, abstract sculptures – compositions made of reinforced plaster, which can also be seen in the Town Hall Gallery. The heritage related to Estonia includes Marie Under, A.H. Busts of Tammsaare, Gustav Ränga, as well as commemorative medals of the University of Tartu. In the early years of Paris, Maire Männik interacted closely with Eduard Wiiralt, and with the will of fate, Männik was one of those who helped organize Wiiralt’s funeral and designed a memorial stone for Pére Lachase Cemetery in Paris.