Illustration til "De Vises Steen" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 2 1873

This illustration for Hans Christian Andersen's "The Philosopher's Stone" was created by H.P. Hansen, a 19th-century artist who lived in a time of significant social and cultural change, when many sought to define national identity through folklore and fairy tales. Here, we see a figure, possibly representing the seeker of wisdom, riding an ostrich-like bird across a barren landscape. The image evokes the romantic quest for knowledge but also hints at the strangeness of the journey, set against the backdrop of 19th-century Europe where such esoteric searches resonated with the era’s fascination with the mystical and unknown. There is an emotional dimension in the isolation of the figure and the starkness of the environment. The print invites us to consider the cost and the alienation that can accompany the pursuit of enlightenment, and the narratives we tell ourselves about progress.