Kunst in Kopenhagen (1)

Agnete und der Wassermann

Eine Unterwasserskulptur!
Agnete und der Wassermann von Suste Bonnen

Agnete and the Merman was one of the poems for which Andersen had tremendously high expectations, and these in no way diminished when he reworked it for the stage. The poem is also an example of the utilization of old Danish folk ballads to symbolize Danish identity that was common practice during the first half of the nineteenth century . The ballad about Agnete and the merman in particular was elaborated on by several writers, including Johannes Ewald, Jens Baggesen, Adam Oehlenschläger and Johan Ludvig Heiberg. At the same time the legend presents supernatural creatures such as a merman and mermaids, which were also popular and mystical in the romantic world. In particular, Agnete’s beautiful lullaby in Andersen’s version has appealed to many composers.
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