Helvetia on the Road 1980

Since 1980 Helvetia has been sitting on the bridgehead over the Rhine, pensive and oblivious of everything around her. Her head resting in her hand with her elbow propped up on her bent knee, the imposing bronze figure gazes downstream. She is outfitted with her familiar attributes of spear and shield with the Swiss cross as well as her cloak, which she has laid aside, suitcase, and commemorative plaque with text. The six components of the artwork were created using different bronze casting techniques. The elaborate production of the larger-than-life female figure was produced as five pieces: the process entailed casting models from polystyrene and plaster and sheathed in rolled lead sheet. The sheets were then soldered together and resulting seams were left visible.

Bettina Eichin (b. 1942 in Bern) grew up in Bern and Fribourg, trained as a stone sculptor and stonemason, and now lives in Basel and Kaiserstuhl DE. She began working in bronze early in her career creating narrative compositions with large-format, often multi-part sculptures. In addition to figurative representations and still life, these also include commemorative plaques with text, often about critical contemporary themes. Many of her bronzes can be seen in public space.