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

This illustration by H.P. Hansen visualizes Hans Christian Andersen's "The Fir Tree" with a boy dragging a small tree, embodying the story’s central theme of longing and disillusionment. Consider the symbol of the star adorning the boy’s chest. In mythology, the star is a guiding light, a symbol of hope and divine guidance. Here, it is placed on a child, hinting at the inherent innocence and the potential for guidance that lies within youth. Yet, the boy tugs at a fallen fir tree, an inversion of the tree's traditional role as an emblem of life and celebration. The star motif echoes through history—from the Star of Bethlehem guiding the Magi to the stars adorning celestial maps, charting human destiny. Its presence speaks to our subconscious yearning for direction and purpose. The image conveys the powerful emotional state of loss, as the boy pulls the tree along the ground, symbolizing the disillusionment we often face when our expectations clash with reality. This is the eternal cycle of hope and despair, perpetually resurfacing throughout our cultural memory.