The Sculpture on Sankt Hans Square

In front of Sankt Hans Church stands a moving sculpture depicting H.C. Andersen’s mother, Anne Marie Andersdatter, on her way to church with her newborn son. The little boy, Hans Christian Andersen, was to be presented in the church after having been baptized at home – a common custom in the early 19th century.

The presentation ritual closely resembles baptism, though the baptism itself is not repeated. The sculpture thus captures a moment in which mother and child symbolically enter both the church and life itself.

Beside Anne Marie and the child stand two ducks. They refer to the fairy tale The Ugly Duckling, which in many ways reflects H.C. Andersen’s own story – the poor, misunderstood boy who grows up to find his place in the world.

About the motif

Anne Marie Andersdatter (1768–1833) was a poor and superstitious woman who lived a hard life as a washerwoman and maid in Odense. She struggled with alcoholism and social difficulties, yet played a decisive role in her son’s early years.

Her first child, Karen Marie, was born in 1799, but had to be placed in foster care when the father left the family. Six years later, Anne Marie married Hans Andersen, a poor shoemaker, and in 1805 H.C. Andersen was born.

After her husband’s death in 1816, life became increasingly difficult for Anne Marie. She spent her final years at the poorhouse Doctors Boder in Odense, where she died in 1833 – a life marked by hardship, loss, and dependency. Her son supported her financially but later described her, with painful honesty, in his story “She Was No Good.”

A mother and a son

Although Anne Marie Andersdatter lived a difficult life, she left deep traces in her son’s heart and writings. H.C. Andersen mentions her several times in his memoirs, and her life and fate likely inspired figures such as The Little Match Girl – and, of course, The Ugly Duckling, who dreams of something greater.

The sculpture in front of Sankt Hans Church reminds us of the human origins of one of the world’s greatest storytellers – and of the mother who carried him to be presented in the church.

About the artist

The sculpture was created by Balder Mo Schiøtte in 2025. The work was made specifically for Sankt Hans Square from an old, dead tree. The artist wished to convey the human and vulnerable aspects of H.C. Andersen’s mother’s story – while also creating a connection between the city’s history and the sacred space of the church.