Illustration til "Boghveden" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 1 1870 - 1873

This is H.P. Hansen's illustration for Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Buckwheat," realized with etching on paper. The composition centers on a gnarled, old tree trunk, around which a landscape unfolds. Its rough texture and organic form dominate the visual space. Hansen masterfully employs line and shadow to create depth, using a dense network of fine lines that contrast with the stark white background to add drama. The landscape is built through careful gradations of tone, subtly rendered to evoke a melancholic mood. The forms suggest decay and resilience, playing with semiotic codes of nature and time. Notice how Hansen’s use of organic shapes and detailed textures challenges fixed representations of nature. The tree, almost anthropomorphic, serves not just as an element within the scenery but as a symbol laden with philosophical undertones. The etching’s formal qualities prompt us to consider themes of mortality and transformation.