Unbekannter Künstler

Christian V., King of Denmark and Norway

This miniature portrait of Christian V., King of Denmark and Norway (1646-1699), is basically similar to a panel painting. The son of King Friedrich III. was crowned king in 1670. He stands high up in a landscape scenery; in the background a battle scene outside the town gates can be seen. Propping his baton on a rock, he presses his left hand at his hip. The king is shown in full armour; the typical red royal coat, trimmed with ermine, falls down over his shoulders, and the blue ribbon of the Order of the Elephant (the highest Denish order) decorates his breast. The corresponding star is displayed on the right hand side on the coat. Christian V. defined the final organization of the Order of the Elephant through his statutes and articles of the 1st December 1693. The unknown miniaturist was guided by the portrait paintings of the French baroque period. Typically enough, Christian V. is represented as a general in a majestic pose - not very surprising, since he, like half of Europe, was involved in an armed conflict with Louis XIV.. The high position of the presented person is underlined by the thorough reproduction of the precious clothes as well as by the splendour of his armour and his medals.

¹ Unter Charles Le Brun entwickelte sich eine barocke Bildersprache am französischen Hof, die dem absoluten Machtanspruch und dem Repräsentationsbedürfnis Ludwigs XIV. entsprach. Le Brun beeinflußte durch seine Kunst und durch seine gesellschaftliche Stellung nachhaltig die weitere Kunstentwicklung in Frankreich, am deutlichsten sichtbar in den Königsportraits von Hyacinthe Rigaud.