Ruth Milles

Ruth Milles (19 April 1873 – 11 February 1941) was a Swedish sculptor and writer. She is mainly known for her figurines and reliefs.

Early life and education

Milles was born Ruth Anna Maria Anderson on Örby Manor in Vallentuna near Stockholm, Sweden. She was the daughter of Chief Verifier of the brännvin manufacturing in Sweden, Emil Anderson (1843–1910), called "Mille". She had two siblings when her mother died in childbirth and gained three half siblings after her father remarried. Her brother was the sculptor Carl Milles (1875–1955) and her half brother Evert Milles (1885–1960) was an architect. Unlike her brother Carl, Milles was a college educated artist. She studied at the Tekniska Skolan (the Technical School), predecessor to the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm in 1892–93, after which she went on to the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in 1894–98, where she was considered talented enough to skip a year. She would also visit the Theosophical Society which became influential for her future works.