Illustration til "Den lille Havfrue" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 1 1870 - 1873

This black and white illustration from 1870-73 by Danish artist H.P. Hansen depicts a scene from Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairytale, "The Little Mermaid". The image portrays the mermaid and the prince meeting for the first time. The prince is shown standing and gazing at the mermaid who kneels before him, her fishtail hidden in the grass, and her head resting on her hand in contemplation. This evocative illustration, now held by the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, captures the magic and sadness of Andersen’s tale.