Indramning med englehoved, kors og kranie 1843

This print, made by H. C. Henneberg, features an angel, a cross, and a skull framing a piece of text. Without a date we can only suggest it was made sometime in the 19th Century, in Denmark. The image creates meaning through the use of Christian and secular visual codes. The cross and angel's head are references to the religious culture of the time, while the skull is a symbol of death. These images are placed on a background of dense text. Given the social context of 19th-century Denmark, this print may have been made for private devotion, with its overt religious symbolism typical of the period. The inclusion of the skull reminds us of the ever-present nature of death. The fact that it is printed, suggests this was made for a wider audience than a painting, but we can only speculate on what that audience was. To truly understand this piece better, further research into Danish print culture and religious practices of the 19th century would be necessary.