The Danish soldier after victory

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Bissen crafted this monumental sculpture as a tribute to Danish soldiers who fought bravely during the war of 1848-51, where their government successfully thwarted the Dukes Schleswig and Holstein's attempt to split the kingdom. This artwork stems from the same patriotic fervor that fueled the Danish landscape painting movement of the era. It marked the first time in European history that a monument of victory was erected, featuring not a goddess of triumph, a commanding general or a monarch, but an ordinary civilian who fought valiantly on the battlefield. Notably, the figure's likeness bears a striking resemblance to painter Johan Thomas Lundbye, who lost his life during the war. This sculpture serves as a prototype for the Victory Monument, created in honor of the Battle of Fredericia in 1849 and erected in Fredericia in 1858.