Illustrationsudkast til H.C. Andersen, "Suppe paa en Pølsepind" 1866

Lorenz Frølich made this pen and ink drawing, an illustration proposal for Hans Christian Andersen's "Soup on a Sausage Peg," sometime in the 19th century. It shows two scenes from the fairy tale, with anthropomorphic mice acting out the story's drama. We see, in the upper portion of the sketch, the mouse king holding court. In the lower, a servant mouse scurries along with a tray. These illustrations were made in Denmark, a country with a strong tradition of folklore and fairy tales and were intended to accompany a story that satirizes social climbing and false appearances. Frølich, as an artist, and Andersen, as an author, were both deeply involved in constructing a Danish national identity through their art. This drawing gives us insight into the visual culture of 19th-century Denmark and the institutions that helped shape it. By researching the publishing history of Andersen's stories and Frølich's illustrations, we can better understand the public role of art in shaping cultural values.