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Ten Virgins

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Pentti Papinaho

1963

Bronze

A church designed by architect Unto Ojonen was inaugurated in Joutjärvi in 1962. A year later, sculptor Pentti Papinaho created an altarpiece relief for the church entitle Golgotha, as well as another work, Ten Virgins, for the outside wall of the building’s eastern terrace. The work on the façade references the parable of the ten virgins in the Bible.

The first five figures in the relief are the wise virgins in the parable, with flames burning in their lamps. The other five virgins, shown kneeling behind the wise ones, are crying out in distress and desperation, for they did not take oil with them to keep the lamps burning. The dominant elements of the work are the intense, angular shapes that at times taper into sharp spikes.

A bronze relief attached to a brick wall depicting ten female figures walking in a row.
Pentti Papinaho, Ten Virgins, 1963. Photo: Tiina Rekola/Malva.

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On the outer wall of Joutjärvi church. – Ilmarisentie 1, Lahti.
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Ten Virgins

On the outer wall of Joutjärvi church. – Ilmarisentie 1, Lahti.

View on Google Maps
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