Vignet "Danmark og Norges økonomiske magasin" 1758

This small etching was made by Jonas Haas, probably in Copenhagen in the mid-18th century, and it's titled "Denmark and Norway's Economic Magazine." The image is a vignette, intended as a heading or tailpiece to a publication. We see a formal garden, neatly laid out with potted trees and rows of candles. In the middle ground a fountain rises behind some flourishing tall grasses. A hand emerges from a cloud in the upper left, pouring water on the grasses. Above, on a banner, the Latin motto “Dat Pluribus Una,” or “One to Many.” The image and the title of the magazine suggest a certain self-image on the part of the Danish state, which at the time included Norway. It suggests a careful cultivation of the land and a focus on economic growth. But it also proposes that the state can shower its riches on many people at once. To understand this image better, one could research the economic conditions in Denmark and Norway at the time, looking at how wealth was distributed and how the state managed its resources. We might also consider the relationship between the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway and how the magazine relates to their social contract.