Erik Werenskiold Illustrated a number of Norwegian folktales but this painting is an interpretation of a scene from Snorre Sturlason’s Olav Tryggvasons saga from the beginning of the 13th century. Werenskold depicts how Olav’s mother flees with her child in order to escape from the evil queen Gunhild. The portrayal is reminiscent of the Biblical narrative of the flight of Mary and Joseph to Egypt to save the child’s life in the face of king Herod’s threat to kill all new-born babies.