Illustration nr. 3 til "Visen om Dronning Dagmars ankomst til Danmark" 1863

This is Lorenz Frølich’s 19th-century pencil drawing, made as an illustration for “The Ballad of Queen Dagmar’s Arrival to Denmark.” Frølich's work evokes a romanticized vision of the medieval past that was very popular at the time, especially within national museums. By the 1800s, there was a growing interest in Danish history, literature, and folk traditions, all in an effort to define a unique Danish cultural identity. Frølich was very successful, due to his understanding of the period’s visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. In that period, art institutions had been given the task of cultivating national consciousness, and Frølich's illustrations contributed to that project, celebrating Queen Dagmar as a symbol of Danish virtue and national pride. Historians can look to sources like folklore collections, literature, and political speeches from the period. This helps us to understand the social conditions that shape artistic production, especially regarding the public role of art.