Ørnulf Bast

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Ørnulf Bast was a Norwegian sculptor, born in Kristiania 1907 and died in Oslo 1974.

Among his works were the 2 identical bronze Norwegian Lady Statues, dedicated in 1962, which were placed in Moss, Norway and Virginia Beach, Virginia facing each other across the ocean. The statues were modeled after the figurehead of the Norwegian bark Dictator, home ported in Moss, which foundered and sank in the Graveyard of the Atlantic off the coast of Virginia Beach on March 27-28, 1891. Despite substantial lifesaving efforts from shore, seven persons died, including the captain's pregnant wife and 4 year-old son.

The new statutes re-established old ties between the 2 communities, and in 1974, they became sister cities. Annual events are held at the Bast statues. Bast was likely commissioned for this works because, besides being a Norwegian, he had already created a ship's figurehead, one for the Black Watch.