Illustration til Svend Grundtvig, "Marsk Stig: Dansk Folkevise Fra 13de Aarhundrede", 1861 1861

Constantin Hansen created this illustration for Svend Grundtvig's "Marsk Stig: Dansk Folkevise Fra 13de Aarhundrede" in 1861. Hansen visualizes a medieval Danish folk song, a genre revived during the 19th century's wave of nationalism. The print shows Marsk Stig, a Danish nobleman, departing from his wife or lover. The scene is heavy with dramatic tension: a man, armed and cloaked, leaving a woman at the foot of a stone tower, soldiers behind him. Hansen uses the visual codes of the day to evoke a heroic, romantic past, a period of strong national identity. Interest in folk songs was not simply nostalgic. In the context of 19th century Denmark, such imagery served to consolidate a sense of national identity and a shared cultural heritage. Understanding Hansen's work requires looking into the history of Danish nationalism and its relationship to folk culture. Investigating archives of popular song and the history of folklore societies, we can better understand how art played a role in shaping a collective cultural identity.