The 'Davidsbund' - a group of artists who had joined forces in a revolutionary struggle against the backward structures in the artistic world, amongst whose members he counted both real and imaginary people - only existed in Schumann's imagination. He published the first edition of his 'Davidstänze' under the pseudonym 'Florestan and Eusebius' - the two characters that represented contrasting (impetuous and gentle) aspects of his own self. Clara Wieck, to whom he unsuccessfully proposed several times whilst writing it, is also represented, 'more than anything' he dedicated these dances to her. These short, extremely diverse tone pictures afford us an intimate insight into Schumann's emotional state at the time.