Jits Bakker: Europe

Jits Bakker: Europe

The bronze sculpture Europe donated to the City of Turku by Dutch artist Jits Bakker (1937-2014) was inspired by Greek mythology. Zeus fell in love with Europe, who was the daughter of a king. In order to get Europe, Zeus turned himself into a bull and took the beautiful woman to the island of Crete. This sculpture was unveiled on 11 June 2008.

Jits Bakker is most known for his stone and bronze sculptures. He began his career as a decorative and commercial artist, but worked later on watercolours, jewellery, and glass mosaics. Bakker worked as a free artist, and his sculpture parks can be seen in Bilt, Holland; Almancil, Portugal, and in Malaga, Spain. His works are also on display in collections around the world, including the Tate Gallery in London and the Architecture Museum in Frankfurt.