The Wild Hunt of Odin

Poster with the painting Åsgårdsreien by the Norwegian artist Peter Nicolai Arbo (English title: The Wild Hunt of Odin). Arbo was interested in history and painted several paintings with Asa gods, Vikings and other Old Norse historical motifs.

Across the ancient, moonlit midwinter landscape, the heavenly horsemen swarm forward, closely followed by the ravens of Odin, the foremost god of Norse mythology. The god of war Thor thunders forward with a raised hammer, he calls out to the goats Tanngnjost and Tanngrisne who pull the chariot. After the entourage it shines as if in a fire - could it be Helheim we glimpse?

According to old Germanic mythology, Åsgårdsreia was a messy ride between the Christmas and New Year's holidays consisting of ghosts, restless dead souls, trolls and other mischief. According to Norwegian tradition, it was the hero Sigurd Fåvnesbane who led it. The troupe in the background consisted of the witch Gyro Rysserova.

Åsgårdsreien is based on Norwegian mythology and the national romantic poetry from Arbo's time. Not least Johan Sebastian Welhaven's poem from 1844 with the same title, where the first line reads: " Sounds through the air at night, a train rides on foaming black horses" .

The picture's doomsday mood and dramatic composition have several features from Romanticism: the contrast between life and death, light and shadow, near and far.

Artist: Peter Nicolai Arbo | Created: 1872 | Publisher: The National Museum | Copyright: CC-BY 

Frame not included.

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