Illustration til Chr. Winthers A.B.C. 1863

H.P. Hansen made this illustration for Christian Winther’s ABC book using engraving techniques. The book was created in Denmark and published sometime in the 19th century. The three images depict a clear hierarchy of civilization with a white, god-like man ruling over all the animals, a white family enjoying leisure time by the river, and a black child running from a crocodile. These images, while seemingly innocent, demonstrate the values that were being promoted at the time. Illustrations such as these were essential in shaping children’s understanding of the world and what they were meant to value within it. The ABC book, though a tool for education, was also a tool of socialization. By researching the social, economic, and political context of 19th-century Denmark, we can begin to understand how this seemingly harmless illustration perpetuated ideologies of racial and social hierarchies.