Valkyrie's Death or Hervor's Death by Peter Nicolai Arbo
Death of the Valkyrie by Peter Nicolai Arbo (1880)
The exact meaning of the painting is disputed. The painting could depict a scene from Norse mythology in which a Valkyrie falls after a battle. Valkyries are mythological figures who accompany fallen warriors to Valhalla. The death of a Valkyrie could symbolize the end of an era or the loss of divine protective powers.
Others believe that the painting is about Hervör, a well-known shieldmaiden in Norse mythology.
She is one of the main characters in the Hervarar saga, which is mentioned in the Poetic Edda as well as in other Norse literary works. Hervör died in battle while leading an army against the first attack by the Huns.
The conflict arose from an inheritance dispute between her brothers Hlöd and Angantýr. The men in the painting could represent her foster father Ormar and her brother Angantýr.
In the Hervarar saga, Ormar flees to Árheimar to Angantýr to report on the invasion and defeat. This scene could therefore be a symbolic representation of this moment, although this exact scene is not described in the saga.
Resolution 10 000 x 6700 px
