Kong Christian V 1670s

This engraving of Kong Christian V was made by Hubert Schaten, and is held at the SMK. The composition centres on a portrait bust framed by an oval wreath. Schaten uses line and texture to create layers of symbolic meaning. The king is encircled by cherubs, heraldic symbols, and military regalia, which are standard fare for royal portraiture. The details are rendered with such precision, that the materiality of the objects—the armour’s cold steel, the fabric’s soft folds—are palpable. This attention to texture extends beyond mere representation. It speaks to the values of the baroque period, where detail was used to evoke both the senses and the intellect. The dense layering of symbols invites a semiotic reading, suggesting the king’s power is not just political but divinely ordained, signalled by the crown and cherubs. The image thus operates as a carefully constructed message about power, legitimacy, and the nature of kingship itself.