Illustration til O. Specter, "Fabler for Børn" 1838

Vilhelm Kyhn created this illustration for O. Specter’s "Fabler for Børn". Kyhn who lived from 1819 to 1903, was deeply invested in depicting Danish landscapes, often intertwining them with narratives that evoked national identity. At first glance, this image is quaint: a child interacting with nature. But if we linger, we begin to see that the narrative is also about innocence and encounter. What does it mean for a child, presumably a symbol of purity and potential, to engage so directly with the natural world? Is there a lesson embedded here about humanity's relationship to nature, a theme that resonated strongly in the Romantic era, when this work was made? Kyhn invites us to consider the stories we tell our children about the world, and how these shape their understanding of their place within it. Kyhn was very invested in creating a national art, he said: “If we love nature, then we also love our country.” So, perhaps this illustration is as much about fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility towards the land as it is about childhood wonder.