The Bell Deep – 1988 Desiree Hans Christian Andersen Christmas Plate, Cake Plate

The motif of this 1988 Desiree Christmas plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark, Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Bell Deep. In the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale named “The Bell Deep”, the old church bell from Saint Albani Church in Odense is lying at the deepest place in the small river through Odense. The bell is ringing from its deep and is telling the citizens about its experiences in the church tower. Among other things the bell tells about the murder of the Danish King Knud. Later he was named Canute the Holy and gave the name to the present Saint Canute’s Cathedral or Odense Cathedral. The artist behind this Christmas plate is Svend Otto S. Désirée started the Christmas plate series in 1970 and ended it in 2002. All motifs of the Hans Christian Andersen Christmas plates from Désirée are inspired by Hans Christian Andersen´s Fairy Tales