Hammershus på Bornholm. Set fra sydsiden 1819

Søren L. Lange created this print of Hammershus from the south side in the late 18th or early 19th century. Lange lived through a tumultuous period in Danish history, including the English Wars, which saw Denmark caught between the major European powers. The Hammershus castle ruin looms over the landscape; its crumbling form tells a story of shifting powers and the inevitable decay of human ambition. Lange presents a romantic vision, but it's a vision tinged with the melancholy of loss. Consider the position of the viewer, looking up at the ruins. This perspective invites contemplation on the passage of time and the legacies we leave behind. The detailed rendering of the natural landscape contrasts with the rough, broken edges of the castle, highlighting a tension between nature's enduring presence and humanity's fleeting control. The work serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between power, history, and place, and the emotional weight carried within these silent ruins.