En slange der er snoet som et vikingeornament. Mandsprofil samt vers. Side 29 1840 - 1844

This is page 29 from Johan Thomas Lundbye’s sketchbook, featuring a coiled snake reminiscent of Viking ornamentation, a male profile, and verses written in Danish. Lundbye, creating this work in the 19th century, was part of the Danish Golden Age, a period marked by intense national romanticism. Lundbye, like many artists of his time, looked to Norse mythology and Viking history to express a sense of national identity. The image of the serpent, combined with the poetic verses, evokes a longing for a heroic past, a time when Vikings roamed the seas. The male profile, possibly a depiction of a Viking warrior or poet, connects the viewer to these historical narratives. But Lundbye’s personal struggles add another layer: plagued by depression and early death, his art can be seen as an attempt to find solace in the grandeur of history. The verses, though praising Viking feats, also hint at a melancholy, reflecting Lundbye’s own emotional landscape. This deeply personal dimension complicates the nationalistic fervor of his time, revealing a vulnerable soul seeking connection to something larger than himself.