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

This illustration for O. Specter's "Fabler for Børn" was made by Vilhelm Kyhn sometime in the 19th century. The print depicts a child sitting amongst a group of dogs, some playing, some relaxing. Kyhn was a Danish landscape painter, part of the Danish Golden Age movement. But what might this fable illustration tell us about the Golden Age? The Danish Golden Age was a period of great artistic and intellectual achievement in Denmark, but it was also a time of great social inequality. The fables, as literature for children, would have a role to play in educating the next generation of citizens. Didactic literature such as fables can tell us about the values that were being promoted at the time. Analyzing the images in conjunction with the text can reveal the intended lessons and values of the fables. This helps to shed light on the social and cultural context in which it was created, and about how institutions shape the reception of art.