Gustav Vigeland was born in Mandal, a small coastal town in the south of Norway,
in a family of craftsmen and countrymen.
As a youth, he was sent to Oslo where he learned to read and carve wood at a local school.
However, the sudden death of his father compelled him to move back to Mandal to help his family.

He returned to Oslo in 1888, this time determined to become a professional sculptor.

Vigeland spent the years from 1891 to 1896 in several voyages abroad,
including Copenhagen, Paris, Berlin and Florence.
In the French capital he frequented Auguste Rodin's workshop,
while in Italy he experimented with ancient and Renaissance artworks.
In 1921 the City of Oslo decide to demolish the house where Vigeland lived,
and build a library.
After a long dispute, Vigeland was granted a new building from the city,
where he could work and live:
in exchange, he promised to donate to the city all his subsequent works,
including sculptures, drawings, engravings and models.

Vigeland moved to his new studio in Kirkeveien in 1924.
It was located in the vicinity of Frogner Park,
which he had chosen as the definitive location for his fountain.
In the following twenty years Vigeland was devoted to the project of an open exhibition of his works,
which later turned into what is universally known as Vigeland Park.