A New Heaven and a New Earth The Conclusion of  H.E. Freund's The Ragnarok Frieze Drawings and stills from Ragnarokfrisen af H.E. Freund, © 1986 Denmark's State Museum for Art      The action moves from right to left Scroll up and down and side-to-side to the entire image    [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] Herman Ernst Freund's The Ragnarök Frieze The drawing of 1857 by H. Olrik with photographs below from the book Ragnarokfrisen af H.E. Freund, © 1986 Denmark's State Museum for Art [Click here for a biography of the Artist and his work]  H.E. Freund was the first Danish sculptor to treat Norse mythology. Although his classical training prevented him from creating a truly Nordic work, he must be credited as one of the pioneer artists who sought to accurately portray the Nordic pantheon based on a knowledge of the ancient Norse sources. His understanding of the Edda may be misguided on certain points by Finn Magnusen's scholarly opinions and Adam Oehlenschläger's poetic liberties.  [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] [OTHER WORKS by H.E. FREUND] [POPULAR RETELLINGS]    [HOME] The Fate of the Gods and the World hang in the Balance The Beginning of H.E. Freund's The Ragnarok Frieze Drawings and stills from Ragnarokfrisen af H.E. Freund, © 1986 Denmark's State Museum for Art The action moves from right to left   Scroll up and down and side-to-side to the entire image        All-Father, enthroned on a world and drawn by symbolical griffins, comes gloriously, circled and garlanded by victories and shining planets.  A new heaven and a new earth is at hand, under the mighty sceptre and purer reign of one greater than Odin.   Sphinxes in front of his seat refer to the mystery of his being. Muspel's sons, swarm forth from their winged ship Naglfar with fiery torches. Freund depicts the fire giants as Africans.   Muspel (also identified as Surtur) leads the fire giants, Muspel's sons. Muspel himself travels on a sledge, drawn by dragons. His head is veiled, but he has a flaming sword in his hand portending the old world's conflagragation.   Winged Dragon's pull Muspel's sledge.     From the mountains, black elves swarm forth. In Hel, the redbrown cock crows from the underworld. The elderly Vala raises her hand at the fulfillment of prophecy. Frost-giants [Hrim-thursar] lead the hounds of Hel.             On a rock we see the giant eagle Hräsvelgr, who drives the storm winds with its strong wing beats. The Frost-giants now hasten to attack the Aesir, led by the malignant Loki. Depicted with horns and bat wings, Loki with the Giants storms toward the gods bridge.  The Jotuns are not fast enough for him, therefore, Loki pulls the lead giant  by the hand.                        In front of the giants led by Loki, the Vanir, who had once fought with the Aesir, now break out again against their old foes to fight the final battle.  The Vanir follow their leader Njord into battle. Njord, who was given to the Aesir as a hostage is now reunited with his family at the end of days. Njord leans back on his winged horse, held by one of the Vanir, to cast a stone against Heimdall, the guardian of Bifröst.                       Heimdall kneels on the Rainbow Bridge and blows into his Gjallarhorn. Before Heimdall are grouped his nine mothers. The first, struck by an arrow shot by one of the Vanir, holds her hand in front of her face in pain.   Several of Heimdall's mothers are entwined by the coils of the huge Midgard Serpent, who lifts its head up to fight with Thor.       Thor swings his hammer Mjölnir against the Midgard serpent, his belt of strength buckled about him. Thor's carriage drawn by goats stands empty. Behind it, the Fenris Wolf lurks, awaiting Odin's arrival. Odin, king of the gods, comes riding on his eight-footed stallion Sleipnir, with his sword raised. The silent Vidar is at hand to avenge him.               Odin is attended by a crowd of other gods and their attributes. They are attended by the Valkyries, all radiant with glittering wings.   Behind them, the Einheries, the champions of the gods, press forward from the gates of Valhall, led by Starkodder.  Freya's brother Frey, with the radiant image of the sun on his shield, races forth on his golden Boar, Gullinbursti, followed by Skadi (also identified as Gefion and Gerd) with an animal skin around her shoulders and about to draw an arrow from her quiver. The mourning goddesses. Frigg, Odin's wife, sits silently beside his throne. Hermod, the messenger of the gods,  is at her side. In Odin's high seat Hlidskialf, the rooster Gullinkambi crows. Freyja, with cats at her feet, sits on the opposite side, crying and comforted by her two daughters.  To her right sits Sif, the mighty Thor's wife. To their right are three of Odin's shield maidens. The winged Norns at the Well of Urd. Urd, the Past, sits as Saga (the goddess of history), inscribing the march of time on her golden tablets; Skuld the Future, sits thoughtfully lost in dreams of things to come; Verdandi, stands as the ever-present Now, holding the heavenly balance in her scales.