Gefion pløjer Sjælland ud 1864

Holger Roed made this pen and brown ink drawing, Gefion pløjer Sjælland ud, or Gefion plowing Zealand, sometime in the mid-19th century. Roed depicts a scene from Norse mythology, where the goddess Gefion tricks the Swedish king Gylfe into giving her as much land as she can plow in a day and night. Here, Gefion is shown with her giant sons transformed into oxen, plowing the land that would become the island of Zealand. The drawing employs visual codes that reflect Denmark’s burgeoning national romanticism. During this period, artists and intellectuals turned to Norse mythology and Viking history for inspiration. This focus on myth served as a way to construct a distinct Danish cultural identity. To understand Roed’s work, historians might explore popular literature, theatrical productions, and political discourse of the period. Art like this reminds us that its meaning is always shaped by cultural and institutional forces.