LARS RAVN GALLERY


Reading for the King and the Queen

"This picture depicts an actual situation: the first time Hans Christian Andersen gave a reading for the Danish King and Queen. In his diary, he wrote about the event that his nerves were so bad he was trembling, and he had diarrhea all day. In this picture, I want to illustrate his nervousness in the form of butterflies and also the social gulf between the royal couple and Hans Christian Andersen by depicting them at a distance, observing him. In addition, I want the picture to give a sense of Hans Christian Andersen's vanity. Among other things, the purpose of the reading was to secure a royal travel grant. That is why the speech bubble says: "Just rattle your jewelry!""
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