The fighting has stopped, and the shield, sword, helmet and other items of war have been laid aside, leaning against a tree stump. The liberty tree, topped by a liberty cap, is sprouting fresh new leaves. In the middle of the relief, the guardian spirit of peace and freedom is presenting a water dish to the aggressors or warring parties. The lion and the eagle drink to peace and reconciliation, while the dog appears to be guarding this fragile and blissful state.
Thorvaldsen moulded the relief a few months before his death. It did not have a specific purpose. In the newspapers, though, the relief was interpreted as a tribute to a royal wedding. In response, the democratically minded sculptor added the liberty cap on the tree in the finished relief. The thought of celebrating peace and freedom remained important to him until his final days.
