Description: This scene is from a retelling of Norse mythology in the 1908
edition of Annie
Keary's The Heroes of Asgard (1857). Louis
Huard's illustration depicts
depicts the confrontation between Þórr and the giant
named Skrýmir
when Þórr was on his way to the court of Útgarðaloki.
Source: The Heroes of Asgard
Folio or Page: 115
Medium: Not known
Date: 1908
Dimensions (mm): 85 x 125
Provenance:
This illustration is from The
Heroes of Asgard 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.:
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard: "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 Olympus. 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.Full text of the review (ProQuest subscription required).
Early print review of the first edition of The Heroes of Asgard: "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.Full text of the Review (ProQuest subscription required).
Bibliography:
Editions
Keary,
Annie, and
Eliza
Keary. The
Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology.
London: Macmillan and Co.
Limited, 1908.
Secondary Sources
Cleasby, Richard
and
Vigfússon
Guðbrandur
. An Icelandic-English Dictionary.
Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1957.
Review of The Heroes of Asgard, by Annie Keary and Eliza
Keary.
The Athenaeum, 11 Apr. 1857:
470. Web. 27 July 2021.
Review of The Heroes of Asgard, by Annie Keary, and Eliza
Keary. The Critic, 16 Mar.
1857: 130. Web July 27,
2021.
Mjöllnir (non.)
Mjollnir (en.)
Þórr's hammer that returns to his hand after he throws it.
Giants and Giantesses
Skrýmir (non.)
Skrymir (en.)
The giant who rules the castle called Útgarðr in Jötunheimr. He is
also known as Útgarðaloki. In the Prose Edda,
Snorri calls him Skrýmir when relating the myth concerning Þórr's
journey to Útgarðr. He is also called Skrýmir in the poem Lokasenna but is called Fjallir in Hárbarðljóð.
Útgarðaloki (non.)
Utgard Loki (en.)
The giant who rules the castle called Útgarðr in Jötunheimr. In the
Prose Edda, Snorri calls him Skrýmir when
relating the myth concerning Þórr's journey to Útgarðr. He is also
called Skýmir in the poem Lokasenna but is
called Fjallir in Hárbarðljóð.
Gods and Goddesses
Þórr (non.)
Thor (en.)
In the Prose Edda, Þórr is the son of Óðinn
and the giantess Jörð. However, in Heimskringla, he is a mortal.
Myths
Binding of Fenrir Myth
This myth relating the story of how the gods managed to trick the wolf
Fenrir into letting them bind him with a magic fetter. They fail with a
fetter called Leyding and another called called Dromi but succeed with
one called Gleipnir. Unfortunately, the god Týr had put his hand in
Fenrir´s mouth as a guarantee that the gods were not trying to trick
Fenrir into being bound. Fenrir bites off Týr´s hand when he realizes
that he has cannot break the fetter.
Þórr´s Journey to the Court of Útgarða-LokiThor's Journey to the Court of Utgarda-Loki
This myth relates the story of Þórr's Trip to the Court of
Útgarða-Loki and the tricks that giants play on him and his companions
Loki and Þjálfi.
Nouns
Edwardian (en.)The
Edwardian era began with the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910
(January 22, 1901 - 28 July, 1914). However, the era's end date is
sometimes extended to the beginning of World War 1 (28 July
1914).
Victorian (en.)The
Victorian era began with the reign of Queen Victoria and ended with her
death (June 20, 1837 – January 22, 1901).
Heroes of
Asgard (1870 ed.) (en.)The second illustrated edition of The Heroes of Asgard was published in 1870 and
illustrated by Louis Huard. These images are from the 1908
reprint.
Source Persons
Huard,
Louis (fr.)
b. 1st January 1814
d. 9th September 1874
Nationality: French
Occupation: Illustrator and painter
Huard was born in France but moved to England as an adult and died in
London. He illustrated the second edition of “The Heroes of Asgard”
(1870).
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.
