Oil on canvas

70 x 60 cm

The Princess and the Pea is one of the most renowned fairy tales in Danish tradition, built on the idea that even the smallest detail can carry decisive significance. In Båsen’s work, the story enters a pictorial world saturated with historical and cultural references. The use of laudanum, an early form of sleeping medicine, points to the vulnerability of the body, while the blue fluted patterns from the Royal Danish Porcelain Factory inscribe the motif within a tradition marked by luxury and craftsmanship. The painting brings these elements together in a scene where the playful character of the fairy tale meets serious reflections on cultural heritage and human experience.

The work is part of Båsen’s Fable series, where he draws on motifs inspired by fairy tales and renders them in a pictorial world marked by both beauty and unease. Fairy tales are often associated with escapism, yet they originally functioned as mirrors of important themes that were otherwise left unspoken. This underlying duality gives the stories an inherent realist dimension, which Båsen brings to the forefront in his art.