"Den nye Arion" 1852

Curator: Right now we're looking at a work titled "Den nye Arion," which translates to "The New Arion." It's an engraving, so a print, created by Constantin Hansen in 1852, and part of the collection here at the SMK. What's your initial read? Editor: Absurdly delightful! A dapper fellow with a guitar, perched jauntily on a giant… cod? It has the energy of a dream I once had after eating too much pickled herring. Curator: You’re not far off! The inscription elaborates: "Balthasar Christensen loses his Funen tile, but is rescued by a large cod.” This piece is a satirical commentary, referencing a specific person—Balthasar Christensen—who lost his seat representing Funen, an island of Denmark. Editor: Oh, a political cartoon! Suddenly, the fish is less random, and more symbolic. Is Arion the reference to a Greek Myth that features someone rescued by a dolphin? Curator: Precisely! The Arion myth carries heavy associations of poetic salvation. So Hansen cleverly repurposes the classical trope to poke fun at a contemporary political loss, a subtle way of immortalizing, or perhaps lampooning, Christensen's predicament. Notice how the artist renders Christensen with caricatured features, but still retains a sense of individual likeness. Editor: It's amazing how much narrative is packed into such clean lines. It makes me think of how visual motifs shift and adapt—heroes change, political fortunes reverse, but the story of someone clinging to hope while lost at sea remains poignant, even humorous when reinterpreted like this. You can still feel a degree of empathy behind the satire. I'd guess it was not mean spirited. Curator: Perhaps there was an underlying respect for Christensen's political contributions, despite his electoral misfortune. Whatever the intent, the work creates this wonderful blend of historical and personal resonance through a combination of realism, caricature, and classical symbolism. Editor: Well, now I can’t unsee the poignant poetry in this goofy fish ride. Another great find.