Jaan Koort 1883–1935 Girl with Braids. 1930

The traditions of Estonian sculpture have been somewhat unfairly overshadowed by Estonian painting, although the line of sculptors has been very representative, from August Weizenberg and Amandus Adamson to Edgar Viies or Jaak Soans, not to mention the sculptors of today. Interacting with a three-dimensional object has proven to be a bit more difficult for the audience, although the expressiveness and spatiality of the sculptures are striking. Jaan Koort was undoubtedly the most important Estonian sculptor before the Second World War, whose works attracted international attention from Paris to Moscow. Several periods can be distinguished in the abundant creations, when both the approach to form and the motifs changed. Girl with pigtails is one of Koort's best-known works, which was shown at several exhibitions in Tallinn and Tartu before the war, and since then has been on display at all of Koort's major exhibitions. The work was completed in the period when Koort focused on ceramics, but alongside it created several portraits and figures, as well as animal sculpture. About the daughter's braids, Voldemar Vaga found that it was "made in the manner typical of Koort, which is consistent in form, avoids external effects and uses artistic means sparingly, but effectively". According to Enn Lillemets, in the sculpture we can admire "Koort's ability to open the inner world of the depicted, whether they are adults or children. After all, sensitive, soulful portraits of different children and his wife in different materials form one of the most important, successful parts of his work" - and Lillemets brings "Girl with Pigtails" as an example.

The work is represented in the sculpture collection of the Estonian Art Museum; noted in Leo Gens monograph (Kunst publishing house 1964) page 184 no. 187, repro no. 54.