Can Anyone Identify This 'Creature' From An 1833 Swedish Print?

[Julfisken]

Hello,

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for this post; I tried but couldn’t really find just the right one, but it is a query after all, so I hope I’m not totally out of line!

As per the title: Can anyone identify this ”creature”?

Context:

It’s from an 1833 ”catchpenny print” printed in the town of Gävle, Sweden, along with a simple verse. It is marketed for children (yes, really!) as a Christmas gift. The verse vaguely alludes to the appearance of the creature and identifies it as ”Fogel-Blå” (appr. ”Blue Bird”) and a ”snow-wonder”.

Now, I’m almost certain that the creature is printed from a much older block that originally should’ve had a completely different context, which might have been lost to time even in 1833.

This theory is, in my opinion, all but confirmed by another print marketed for children by the same printer the next year, in 1834:

This ”julfisk” (”Christmas fish”) seems to have been printed in various versions since early 17th century as I learned from this Norwegian site [Link now fixed] (in Norwegian, obviously, but Google translate may help and the images probably speak for themselves).

I quite easily ”solved” the mystery of the ”Christmas fish” with a reverse Google image search, wich lead me to the site above among others, but have had no such luck with ”Fogel-Blå”.

Does anyone recognise him/her/it?

 

[Tunn11]

A search on dogpile reveals the following, any use?

https://www.dogpile.com/serp?q=Fogel-Blå&sc=pjLKysIJ8glv20

Seems to be a fragment of a work by Daniel Amadeus Atterbom​

https://memim.com/per-daniel-amadeus-atterbom.html

 

[Julfisken]

A search on dogpile reveals the following, any use?

https://www.dogpile.com/serp?q=Fogel-Blå&sc=pjLKysIJ8glv20

Seems to be a fragment of a work by Daniel Amadeus Atterbom​

https://memim.com/per-daniel-amadeus-atterbom.html

Good catch!

But unfortunately no, in regards to this creature.

"Fogel blå" or "Fågel Blå" is a known folk tale (or would've been known in 1833 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Bird_(fairy_tale) ) so the printer probably just applied that to his print for added recognition (and the poet Atterbom to his poem...).

 

[Steven]

The crosses on the second image look like Eastern (or Russian) Orthodox Church ones.

 

[Steven]

I often guess very wrongly, as it happens, but I wonder if one or both pictures have something to do with unease regarding the Swedish/Norwegian union in the 1830s?

 

[Tunn11]

Does the shield(?) on the first image give any clue? Two swords/daggers with hearts for blades and RW VH. The sword piercing the heart is used in heraldry (Mary's heart pierced by sword(s)) but I can't find a sword/dagger with a heart for a blade. There are also two swords in the tail of the bird and possibly more - are the feathers meant to be blades?

The most famous birds with metallic feathers are the Stymphalian birds which Heracles fought for his sixth labour but that's a stretch! Or the artist's attempt at depicting a Harpy? Greek myths would have been known in the 1500s so the illustration may have been lifted from something about them?

Sorry @Julfisken all very unlikely but I can't find anything else

 

[Sid]

Good catch!

But unfortunately no, in regards to this creature.

"Fogel blå" or "Fågel Blå" is a known folk tale (or would've been known in 1833 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Bird_(fairy_tale) ) so the printer probably just applied that to his print for added recognition (and the poet Atterbom to his poem...).

Seems to be a compilation from various versions from heraldry creatures. (ex heraldry artist)

 

[Tunn11]

Seems to be a compilation from various versions from heraldry creatures. (ex heraldry artist)

Any ideas on that shield/badge/escutcheon @Sid ?

 

[Sid]

Any ideas on that shield/badge/escutcheon @Sid ?

Only that it seems to be made up from various things - like griffin, eagle (claws), stag antlers, centre part of crest could be representative of three white feathers. Also shows part-concealed German 'Eagles wing'. . .

Don't know about the 'trumpet-like extension presumably on the head of it, but I note there seems to be letters around the end fluted part?
"Hope this helps a bit."

 

[Julfisken]

I often guess very wrongly, as it happens, but I wonder if one or both pictures have something to do with unease regarding the Swedish/Norwegian union in the 1830s?

As exciting as that sounds, I don't really think so. To my knowledge, Sweden had no problem with the union in the 1830s (on the contrary -- the Norwegians may tell another story!) and this is a Swedish print after all.

Besides, everything about the print, except for the fish monster, is rather mundane, if a bit absurd. It's titled "Christmas fish - christmas present dedicated to children" and below the picture follows a very simple poem about Christmas celebrations and how jolly everyone will get when they get their Christmas fish (no thanks). And no, "the Christmas fish" is NOT a thing anywhere in Sweden

 

[Julfisken]

The crosses on the second image look like Eastern (or Russian) Orthodox Church ones.

According to this site (in Norwegian) it's a papal tiara on the monster's head. Prints with this fish monster were apparently used as anti-Catholic propaganda in the 17th century, but I think it's safe to say that the printer in a Small town in Sweden in 1834 probably had no idea whatsoever... Which makes the use of this particular print as a Christmas present for children so much funnier.

 

[Julfisken]

Does the shield(?) on the first image give any clue? Two swords/daggers with hearts for blades and RW VH. The sword piercing the heart is used in heraldry (Mary's heart pierced by sword(s)) but I can't find a sword/dagger with a heart for a blade. There are also two swords in the tail of the bird and possibly more - are the feathers meant to be blades?

The most famous birds with metallic feathers are the Stymphalian birds which Heracles fought for his sixth labour but that's a stretch! Or the artist's attempt at depicting a Harpy? Greek myths would have been known in the 1500s so the illustration may have been lifted from something about them?

Sorry @Julfisken all very unlikely but I can't find anything else

I agree that the shield must be significant but I have no clue as to what!

Don't be sorry -- you made some really interesting observations that I never would've picked up on.

 

[Steven]

Sherlock Holmes, I am not...

 

[Julfisken]

Only that it seems to be made up from various things - like griffin, eagle (claws), stag antlers, centre part of crest could be representative of three white feathers. Also shows part German inclusive 'Eagles wings'. . .

Don't know about the 'trumpet-like extension presumably on the head of it, but I note there seems to be letters around the end fluted part?
"Hope this helps a bit."

View attachment 71571

That is super interesting! If the different components of this fellow could be linked to certain crests I'd wonder if he could be an early-modern political cartoon/charicature of some kind?