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

H. P. Hansen made this illustration for Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Naughty Boy" sometime in the mid-19th century. We see an older man holding a small child who appears to be examining something in his hands. This engraving was part of a larger cultural project aimed at shaping moral values and social behaviour in Denmark. Andersen's fairy tales, widely distributed and illustrated, were part of the education system that told people how to behave. Here, the cosy domestic scene encourages ideas about family and childhood innocence. To fully understand this image, we need to look into the history of Danish illustration, the publishing industry, and the social history of childhood in 19th-century Denmark. Only then can we grasp the subtle ways in which art was used to reinforce specific social norms and values.