Arosenius often reinterpreted motifs derived from folk tales. Trolls, devils, fauns and giants take on an allegorical function in his oeuvre. Arosenius is not tied down to any specific mythology but moves freely between different tales to create his own. His fantasies are given latitude to be acted out. In the present painting the Giant’s position is emphasised through perspective. In his seven-league boots he takes giant steps across the landscape. On a hill beneath him sits a terrified princess in a red dress. The image is composed according to the anti-heroic tradition, meaning that the figures are placed in a tangible and accessible milieu. The viewer looks into the picture plane slightly from above.

Colour palettes are often influenced by light conditions. Arosenius prefered to work at night, and this is often tied to his ideas about the role of memory and imagination in creativity. However, the scant lighting could also have had a direct impact on his treatment of colour. How does one portray sunshine inside a dark studio? Arosenius almost never depicts landscapes in full daylight.