Skitse til maleriet Loke og Sigyn 1915

This is J.A. Jerichau the second’s sketch for the painting Loke og Sigyn, done in 1915. Here, the trickster god Loki is bound, while his loyal wife Sigyn catches the venom dripping from a serpent above, a striking depiction of devotion amidst torment. The serpent, a powerful symbol across cultures, here embodies pain and punishment. We recall the serpent in the Garden of Eden, a tempter and instigator of humanity’s fall. Yet, the serpent is not always malevolent; consider Asclepius’s staff, where it represents healing and medicine. The dichotomy highlights our ambivalent relationship with this creature, embodying both danger and renewal. Sigyn’s act of compassion also resonates deeply. Her dedication echoes through time, seen in countless artistic representations of mothers protecting their children, a primal scene of love and sacrifice that taps into our deepest emotional reserves. The image resonates due to a shared cultural memory of suffering and solace, reminding us of the cyclical nature of pain and the enduring power of compassion.