Illustration til "Et Blad fra Himlen" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 2 1870 - 1873

Editor: This is an ink drawing by H.P. Hansen from between 1870 and 1873, titled "Illustration til \"Et Blad fra Himlen\" i H.C. Andersen, \"Eventyr og Historier\", Bind 2"—quite a mouthful! It feels very much of its time, a bustling street scene. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: You know, my first impression is one of gentle satire, perhaps even social commentary. There's this wonderfully constructed sense of… stagedness. Note how everyone seems carefully positioned, like characters on a miniature theatre set. The guard stands so erect and separate, a sentinel amidst this flurry of interaction, doesn’t he? And that chap off to the left, arms akimbo. Editor: Yes, almost ushering the viewer into the scene. Is it referencing a particular moment from the Andersen story, do you think? Curator: Probably! Knowing Andersen, it's likely poking fun at societal expectations or highlighting a specific moral quandary within the narrative. It seems quite typical of romanticism, in its way, taking something quite mundane and adding layers of theatrical depth. Are you getting the feeling, that anything can happen? Editor: Definitely. The use of line makes it both busy and a little ethereal, like a dream. I love that ambiguity! I was focused on the drawing's mood; I didn’t quite see how each of these characters has something particular to express. Curator: And isn't that precisely the joy of these little scenes? That ambiguity allows *us* to be co-creators of the story. I'm always amazed how much is put in a work so simple.