Peder Paars 1. bog 5. sang. Fogeden på Anholt og Jens Blok samler deres tropper 1863

Wilhelm Marstrand made this print called, Peder Paars 1. bog 5. sang. Fogeden på Anholt og Jens Blok samler deres tropper. Marstrand, a leading figure in the Danish Golden Age, often used his art to explore themes of national identity and social critique. This image visualizes a scene from Ludvig Holberg's epic poem "Peder Paars," a satirical work criticizing the social and political norms of 18th-century Denmark. Marstrand, working in the 19th century, looked back to Holberg's era, and his work can be seen as commentary on contemporary Danish society, perhaps critiquing its own forms of bureaucracy and social hierarchy through the lens of historical satire. The artist uses visual cues such as the attire and postures of the figures to create a sense of irony. The formal arrangement of the composition with its emphasis on line, contributes to its narrative clarity. Understanding the artwork requires knowledge of Danish literary history and the social context in which both Holberg and Marstrand operated. Art historical archives and literary scholarship can shed light on the ways such images shape the perception of national identity.