Hans Christian Andersen lived in as many as 3 places in Nyhavn in Copenhagen during his 70-year life. First he lived in No. 67 – then in No. 20 – and finally he lived in No. 18, until his death in 1875.
So maybe he could have seen with his own eyes the little mermaid swim up through the channel to her prince – at least he had a good view from his desk in the last years of his life.

There are up to 1,000 references til Hans Christian Andersen’s own life, work and contemporaries in Købke’s fairy tale book, so that both children, adults and H.C. Andersen experts will be able to get something very special out of this drawing.

The book has been published in 8 languages – andKøbke has received The Hans Christian Andersen Award 2017 and The Numskull Jack Award 2016 for the book, in which this fairytale drawing of the crying Shepherdess is included.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award that Købke has received has also previously been received by e.g. Johannes Møllehave, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Ghita Nørby, Günter Grass, Ib Spang-Olsen and others.