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

H.P. Hansen made this illustration for Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" using a technique called line engraving. The image is composed of precise strokes cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. Consider how the linear quality of engraving lends itself to depicting a scene full of toys. Hansen's choice of line engraving is conceptually appropriate, because the process allowed him to mirror the way toymakers, likely using carving and joining techniques, would have originally constructed the wooden figures. Notice that the illustration depicts a somewhat chaotic jumble of playthings - dolls, a toy soldier, a jack-in-the-box. By emphasizing the handcrafted nature of these objects, Hansen suggests a whimsical take on childhood fantasy. Ultimately, by emphasizing the act of making, the artist elevates the status of craft and blurs the boundaries between art and design.