As a general, Mannerheim had been a symbolic figure in Finland since the Finnish Civil War in 1918, and his position grew stronger during the Second World War as a field marshal. The first plans and fundraising for an equestrian statue started in 1937. After his death in 1951, the plans were relaunched by initiative of the Helsinki UniversityStudents' Union.[2]
During the fundraising campaign 737,503 members of the public donated over 78 million marks in 1952.[3] The funds were sufficient not only for the statue but also for purchasing the Louhisaari mansion in Askainen, Mannerheim's place of birth, which was turned into a museum.[4]
The statue was commissioned from Aimo Tukiainen after a competition. Tukiainen made a realistic and detailed statue of the horse-riding Mannerheim. At its unveiling in 1960, the art world considered it outdated. In his contemporary works Tukiainen himself had already moved on from realism.[4]
The features of the horse, its gait and which of the marshal's horses it actually represents have been discussed a lot. During his life Mannerheim owned several horses. Tukiainen studied Mannerheim's last horse Käthy when working on the statue, but it is not a portrait of her as such.[4]
The construction of the Kiasma museum of contemporary art next to the statue was debated during the time of construction of the museum.[5]
