Illustration til "Ole Lukøie" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 1 1870 - 1873

H.P. Hansen made this illustration for Hans Christian Andersen's "Ole Lukøie" in Denmark, sometime in the mid-19th century, probably using etching or engraving. It depicts a mother reading to children, one already dozing off, while another, perhaps Ole Lukøie himself, observes with a sleep-inducing potion. This image speaks to the rise of literacy and domesticity, promoted by the burgeoning middle class. As we consider the social conditions that shaped artistic production, we can look at the way that stories, books and illustrations were a vehicle for instilling particular values in children, shaping them into ideal citizens. To understand Hansen's illustration better, we might look into the publishing industry of the time and the dissemination of Andersen's stories. With such research, we can understand the power of art to reflect and shape the values of its time, its role contingent on ever-shifting social and institutional contexts.