Digteren H.C. Andersen 1864

Curator: Here we have H.W. Bissen’s bronze bust of “The Poet H.C. Andersen,” created in 1864 and held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: My first impression is of someone fragile, maybe a little weary, but also very much alive behind those deep-set eyes. The bronze has an almost melancholic sheen to it. Curator: The realism is striking. Bissen captures not only the likeness but the texture of Andersen’s skin, the fall of his hair. Consider the formal tension between the smooth surfaces and the roughness that defines his very appearance. Editor: Indeed. It’s compelling how Bissen translates Andersen’s spirit into visual form. Notice the way the light catches the furrow of his brow—it hints at the deep thought and emotion he poured into his stories. The slightly open mouth suggests he is perpetually in conversation or on the verge of sharing one of his tales. Curator: Note too the composition, how the gaze draws you in. The positioning of the bust—the way the shoulders square off against the pedestal—lends an air of classical authority to this monument of Romanticism. Editor: That sense of authority is earned. Andersen’s fairytales are not simply children’s stories. They deal with profound themes of identity, loss, and transformation that continue to resonate with audiences of all ages. The sculpture makes me consider how folk narratives transmit psychological insight through generations. Curator: What fascinates me is how the artist translates Andersen's romantic aesthetic into form, how Bissen uses texture and form to convey a romantic, but not overly sentimental, sensibility. Editor: A powerful interpretation of a great storyteller. Curator: Precisely; Bissen provides us a clear articulation of form in service to its subject. Editor: An artistic encounter with a master.