Aaltonen, Wäinö (Valdemar) (1894–1966)

Finnish sculptor. He was known for his monumental figures and busts portraying citizens of Finland following the country's independence 1917. The bronze monument to the athlete Paavo Nurmi (1897–1973) 1925 (Helsinki Stadium) and the bust of the composer Sibelius 1928 are examples of his work.

He was one of the early 20th-century pioneers of direct carving, favouring granite as his medium. He later developed a more sombre style of modern classicism, well suited to his public commissions, as in the allegorical figures in the Finnish Parliament House 1930–32.