En konge knælende foran et alter. Gadeparti 1844

Dankvart Dreyer created this drawing of a king kneeling before an altar some time in the first half of the 19th century. It shows a religious scene in an urban setting, rendered in pencil and watercolor. The image presents several interpretive possibilities relating to the history of social institutions. Was Dreyer commenting on the relationship between the monarchy, religion, and the urban population in Denmark? Was he perhaps inspired by the upheavals of the Napoleonic Wars and the changing role of monarchies in Europe? Did he intend for this king to be understood as a ruler who serves the people by serving God? Or does the drawing critique established religion by placing it outside, and in the context of everyday life? To understand this work better, one might consider Dreyer's other works, the political history of Denmark, and the relationship between church and state at the time. Art history thrives on understanding the conditions under which an artwork was made.