Illustration til St. St. Blicher, De tre Helligaftener 1846 - 1858

Christen Dalsgaard created this illustration for St. St. Blicher's "De tre Helligaftener." Born in Denmark in 1824, Dalsgaard came of age during a period of intense national romanticism, which profoundly shaped his artistic vision. The black and white image depicts a man straining to pull a cart, while three figures watch him. Consider the social hierarchy embedded in this scene. Who has to work and who watches? The image might prompt us to consider the role of class and labor in shaping individual destinies. Are we meant to empathize with the straining man, or to understand the social order that governs his life? Dalsgaard's illustration invites us to reflect on how power dynamics are visually represented. It serves not just as a depiction of a story, but as a mirror reflecting societal structures of labor and observation, prompting a dialogue about the emotional and personal dimensions of social roles.