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Disney's The Little Mermaid Myths and Legends Pop Culture

Fernl2606

Digital Illustration by Fernl2606 of a comfy Prince Eric, Ariel, and Max

Fernl2606 is a very popular digital artist on Instagram, whose is best known for his digital illustrations of all things Disney. Most notably, The Little Mermaid.

His passion for Disney, mermaids, and digital art is prevalent in his work.

Fernl2606 describes himself as an amateur artist, but you would never know it, by looking at his work. His work is the epitome of professional and captures your heart and imagination instantaneously.

Digital Illustration of Ariel rescuing Prince Eric by Fernl2606

Fernl2606 use of color, contrast, saturation, and lighting brings his drawings to life. What is most impressive about his work, is without a doubt, his details. Fernl2606 use of details is exquisite, making sure that no detail is too small.

Neverland Mermaids digital illustration by Fernl2606

I highly recommend, that if you aren’t following Fernl2606 on Instagram or Facebook, that you should.

You won’t shell-regretic!

 

Categories
Disney's The Little Mermaid Hans Christian Andersen Pop Culture

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is vandalized with “Racist Fish”

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is vandalized with the words “Racist Fish” on  Friday, July 3rd, 2020

Tragedy struck Copenhagen on July 3rd, when the bronze statue of The Little Mermaid on the Langelinie Pier vandalized with the words ‘Racist Fish’. The words ‘Racist Fish’ were graffitied on the large rock, that the mermaid sits on.

Copenhagen authorities have no inclination of who could’ve graffitied the famed sculpture and have launched an investigation to find the culprits.

The Copenhagen police made the statement, “We consider it vandalism and have started an investigation.”

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is vandalized with the words “Racist Fish” on  Friday, July 3rd, 2020

It is speculated, that Disney’s controversial casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid is whatcould’ve what prompted the act of vandalism.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is vandalized with the words “Racist Fish” on  Friday, July 3rd, 2020

In 1909, The Little Mermaid statue was commissioned by Carl Jacobsen and sculpted by Edvard Erichsen. Ellen Prince, a well-known ballerina was the model for the head, while Edvard’s wife was the model for the mermaid’s nude figure.

Edvard had designed the mermaid to be human with a fish tail, looking out at sea, depicting the mermaid remembering her life in the sea.

The 107 year old statue was given as a gift to the city of Copenhagen on August 23rd, 1913- to honor Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of The Little Mermaid or Den Lille Havfrue. The statue attracts a million visitors a year and is Copenhagen’s largest tourist attraction.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is vandalized with the words “Racist Fish” on  Friday, July 3rd, 2020

The Little Mermaid is the story about a young mermaid, who rescues a human prince and falls in love with him. The story of The Little Mermaid is a cultural phenomenon and has been adapted into various films, ballets, TV Shows, paintings, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Hans Christian Andersen Myths and Legends

The Myth of Ondine

Undine illustration by Arthur Rackham. The illustration is featured in Baro Friedrich De La Motte Fouque romance novella “Undine” that was published in 1811.

The myth of Ondine or Undine has been around for centuries, as far back as the Ancient Greece. Unda is Latin for “wave” or “water”.

The story of Ondine has been adapted and changed throughout the centuries, yet, astonishingly, key elements of the story has remained the same.

The story is of a young water nymph named Ondine who is beautiful and has an enchanting singing voice. Ondine is immortal, but doesn’t have a soul. The only way for Ondine to obtain one, is to marry a human, which would  then shorten her life, but she would gain a human soul.

Ondine falls in love with a human, and becomes human to be with him. If Ondine’s husband was to be unfaithful to her, he will die. She soon marries him, and bears him a mixed-breed child. Her child is born with a soul and has many aquatic attributes.

Ondine finds her husband with another woman and he soon dies.

This legendary story, would later inspire French author Baron Friedrich De La Motte Fouque and his novella of  Undine that was published in 1811. Years later, his version of the story,  would inspire the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen and his story, Den Lille Havfrue or The Little Mermaid and was published in 1837.

It’s truly incredible, that these mermaid myths and legends, never die. They adapt and change with the times. They are immortal and live on forever in our hearts and our minds.

 

Categories
Disney's The Little Mermaid Hans Christian Andersen Pop Culture

The Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen, Denmark

 

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark by Edvard Erichsen

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark, pays homage to the story that put Copenhagen on the map. All thanks to fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark by Edvard Erichsen

The idea for the statue, began in 1909, when Carl Jacobsen attended a a ballet performance of  The Little Mermaid with prima ballerina, Ellen Prince in the title role. He was instantly inspired to sculpt a statue, using Ellen Prince as the model. So, he hired a little known sculptor, by the name Edvard Erichsen to do the job for him.

Ballerina, Ellen Price modeled the head of the statue, while Edvard Erichsen’s wife, modeled the nude body of the little mermaid.

The sculpture, Edvard Erichsen decided to depict the little mermaid with legs and a fish tail, overlooking the sea, as a way for the mermaid to recall that she was a mermaid from the sea.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark by Edvard Erichsen

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is the cities biggest tourist attraction and attracts more then a million visitors per year. The statue is a little over 4-feet high and weighs 386 pounds. It is Copenhagen’s smallest attraction, yet the most popular. It’s made of bronze and had resided along the Langelinie Pier since August 23, 1913.

Every year, on August 23rd in Copenhagen, the city holds a huge celebration in honor of the statue at Langelinie Pier. People dress up in mermaid costumes and swim near the statue.

Screenshot from Disney’s The Little Mermaid beside The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, also served as inspiration for Disney in the 1989 film of  The Little Mermaid.  In one of the final scenes of the film, after the final battle against Ursula, Ariel is sits on a rock, gazing the shore. This was the animators homage to the statue in Copenhagen and Hans Christian Andersen.

For over a century, this remarkable statue in Copenhagen has stood proudly on Langelinie Pier.

It is a must-see for any fan of The Little Mermaid!