“It’s thanks to people such as Anna Rogstad that society changes,” said President of the Storting Masud Gharahkhani in his short speech at the opening of the unveiling ceremony.

Rogstad was the first woman to take her seat as an MP in the Storting. She did so on 17^th March 1911.

The statue was unveiled 112 years to the day after the Storting passed a resolution to give the majority of women the right to vote.

Anna Rogstad is the first woman to have her place on a plinth in front of the Storting. Before then, there were five statues of men outside the Parliament building.

“She left mark far beyond her own lifetime, and what she fought for has been crucial in shaping the Norway we live in today. Our democracy has evolved over time. Gradually, small steps have led to great change,” added Mr Gharahkhani in his speech.

Contemporary and bold in form

The decision to make a sculpture of Anna Rogstad for permanent display in Eidsvolls plass was made by the Storting’s Presidium in 2020. It was one of a number of ways in which the Storting marked 100 years of regular female representation in parliament. At that time, Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen was President of the Storting.

The artist behind the statue is the sculptor Christine Aspelund. She was selected following an invitational competition.

“In its assessment, a unanimous jury settled on Christine Aspelund’s proposal; a distinct female figure, carved in Norwegian larvikite in Tjølling, Vestfold. When explaining its decision, the jury underlined that the sculpture is both contemporary and bold in form,” said Ms Trøen in her speech before the unveiling.

An empty plinth

Christine Aspelund has chosen to depict Rogstad standing in the Storting, with an empty plinth beside her.