Illustration til "Bedstemoder" i H.C. Andersen, "Eventyr og Historier", Bind 2 1870 - 1873

This illustration to H.C. Andersen's "Bedstemoder", or "Grandmother", was made by H.P. Hansen, using what seems to be a wood engraving. Take a close look and you will see that the image is constructed from a dense network of lines. This technique, perfected in the 19th century, allowed for the relatively inexpensive reproduction of images in books and newspapers. Engravings like this played a crucial role in the mass media of their day. Notice the way the lines describe the textures of the scene: the soft folds of the grandmother's dress, the smooth faces of the children, and the tufted fur of the sleeping dog. The artist was working within the constraints of industrial production, and yet still managed to convey a wealth of detail. Consider the labor involved, both in the depicted scene of domestic storytelling, and in the skilled handwork of the engraver. It reminds us that all images, even those widely distributed, are rooted in specific materials and processes.