Portræt af Frederik V som kronprins 1744

This tiny portrait of Frederik V as crown prince was made by Hinrich Jacob Pohle, likely in the 1740s. It’s an oil painting, but not on canvas – it's rendered on copper. Now, why copper? Well, it's all about precision. With its smooth, non-absorbent surface, copper allows for incredibly fine detail. Look closely, and you can see the delicate brushwork used to capture the sheen of the armor and the subtle shading of the prince’s face. This wasn't just about artistic skill; it reflected social status. These miniature portraits were luxury items, commissioned by the wealthy elite. The labor-intensive process and the precious materials involved—like finely ground pigments and, indeed, the copper support itself—signaled exclusivity. It collapses the distinctions between portraiture, craft, and even jewelry, given its scale. Appreciating the materiality and making of this portrait gives us a window into the world of 18th-century royal life.