Description: This illustration is from a retelling of Norse mythology in
the 1930 edition of Annie
Keary'sThe Heroes of Asgard (1857) illustrated
by Charles E.
Brock. The book is divided into nine stories
beginning with the Creation
Myth and ending with Ragnarök. The stories
are further divided into parts which have illustrated headers
and illustrated capital letters. This header illustration in
Story VI: "Baldur" for Part IV: “Helheim“ depicts Hermoðr, on his way
to Hel
in an attempt to retreive Baldr, being stopped by an old woman who lives
on the side of the road.
Source: The Heroes of Asgard
Folio or Page: 173
Medium: Not known
Date: 1930
Dimensions (mm): 97 x 62
Provenance:
This illustration is from the 1979 facsimile edition of The Heroes of Asgard (1930) from the
collection of P. A. Baer.
Rights:
This illustration from The Heroes of
Asgard is in the public domain.
Research notes, early print reviews, etc.:
Charles Edmund Brock signed his work as C. E. Brock because he was often
confused for a portrait painter of the same name. When it got to the point that
they were paying each other's bills, the illustrator agreed to stop using his
middle name and the portrait painter agreed to stop using his first name (Kelly
29).
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard (1857): "The Scandinavian mythology
converted into a tale told for the edification of children, after the manner of
books that have taught the Greek and Roman mythology. But no genius can invest
the gods of Asgard with the charms of the gods of Oympus. They have none of the
grace or dignity. But the authoress has made the best of an unattractive theme."
(The Critic 130). Web. 27 July 2021.
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard (1857):
"The fables of the Northern mythology are here reduced to a form adapted to the
intelligence of children. They have been cleverly set to an accompaniment of
occasional dialogue, lightening and relieving the narrative of giants' wars and
of heroic prowess achieved by dwellers in the immortal city. The book is a good
specimen of learning made easy by being made pleasant." (The Athenaeum 470).
Web. 27 July 2021.
Bibliography:
Primary Sources
Keary,
Annie, and
Eliza
Keary. The
Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology.
London: Macmillan and Co.
Limited, 1930.
―. The
Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology.
London: Macmillan and Co.
Limited, 1979.
Secondary Sources
Cleasby, Richard
and
Vigfússon
Guðbrandur
. An Icelandic-English Dictionary.
Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1957.
Kelly
C. M.
The Brocks: A Family of Cambridge Artists and
Illustrators
London: C. Skilton,
1975
Print.
Simek,
Rudolf.
Angela
Hall
. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. W
Woodbridge: D. S. Brewer,
2007.
Dunn-Krahn,
Sage (en.)
b. 13th July 1999
Occupation: Research Assistant
Anomalies
Móðguðr (non.)
Modgud (en.)
A female being who guards the bridge Gjallarbrú that spans the river
Gjöll which separates the land of the living from that of the dead. She
allows Hermóðr to pass over the bridge on his journey to Hel to try and
persuade Hel to release Baldr.
Creatures: animals, birds, monsters etc.
Sleipnir (non.)
Óðinn´s eight-legged horse which Loki bore after mating with the Giant
Builder's stallion Svaðilfari.
Gods and Goddesses
Baldr (non.)
Balder (en.)
The god who was killed by his brother Höðr.
Hermóðr (non.)
Hermod (en.)
The god who rode Sleipnir to Hel to try and obtain the release of
Baldr.
Myths
Creation Myth
A series of myths concerning the creation of the world, the origins of
the gods, and the creation of humans.
Hermóðr´s Ride to Hel
A part of the Death of Baldr myth. Hermóðr rides Sleipnir to Hel in
order to try and obtain the release of Baldr.
Mythological Events
Ragnarök (non.)
Ragnarok (en.)
The final great battle between the gods and the giants.
Mythological Places
Gjöll (non.)
Gjoll (en.)
The river that must be crossed on the journey to Hel. It has a female
guardian named Móðguðr.
Hel (non.)
In the Prose Edda, Óðinn assigns Loki and
Angrboða's daughter Hel to rule over a domain named Hel in
Niflheim.
Source Materials:
Heroes of
Asgard (1930 ed.) (en.)The third illustrated edition of The Heroes of Asgard was published in 1930 and was
illustrated by C. E. Brock.
Source Persons
Brock, Charles
E. (en.)
b. 5 February 1870
d. 28 February 1938
Nationality: English
Occupation: painter, line artist and book illustrator
Keary,
Annie (en.)
b. 3rd March 1825
d. 3rd March 1879
Nationality: English
Occupation: Novelist, poet, and childrens book writer.
Anna Maria Keary, known as Annie Keary, was an English novelist, poet,
and children's writer. Her sister Eliza Keary collaborated with her in
writing “The Heroes of Asgard” that was first published in 1857 and many
times thereafter.
