Illustration til W. Hey "Halvthundrede Fabler for Børn" 1848

This illustration for W. Hey's "Halvthundrede Fabler for Børn" presents us with a scene rendered in stark monochrome. An anonymous artist uses hatching and delicate linework to depict a child kneeling beside a cat. The composition is spare, focusing our attention on the interplay between the figures. The texture achieved through the varying densities of lines creates depth. The lines defining the forms do more than outline; they construct the very volume and presence of the subjects. The cat and child are not merely figures but are embodiments of texture and light. This method recalls structuralist concerns with how underlying codes shape meaning. The artist makes use of a semiotic system of signs to convey the fable’s moral lesson about innocence and companionship. Though seemingly simple, the illustration engages with complex modes of representation, inviting ongoing interpretation and reinterpretation.