Arindal und Daura 1854 - 1855

Johann Peter Krafft painted ‘Arindal und Daura’ in Austria during the first half of the 19th century, though the exact date is unknown. This image illustrates a scene from the ‘Songs of Selma,’ part of the Ossian cycle of epic poems that were allegedly based on ancient Gaelic oral tradition. Ossianism was in vogue at the time, and can be seen as an expression of Romantic nationalism, with its emphasis on the heroic exploits of ancient, pre-Christian peoples. Krafft situates the viewer at the moment when Arindal is fatally wounded by an arrow. His dogs look on, and Daura looks away in horror. It’s important to remember that artistic renderings of national mythology don’t just reflect a nation’s culture, they actively shape it. Krafft’s visual interpretation of the Ossian poems reinforces the values and ideals of early 19th-century Austrian society. By studying the social and intellectual context in which ‘Arindal und Daura’ was made, including the history of Romantic nationalism, we can better understand its cultural significance.