Studie af en venstre hånd, anvendt i helfigursportrættet af Frederik den sjette som Kronprins fra 1786 på Amalienborg 1786

Here we see Jens Juel's chalk study of a left hand. It was preparatory work for his 1786 full-length portrait of Frederik the Sixth as Crown Prince at Amalienborg. Juel was a leading portrait painter in Denmark during an era defined by rigid social hierarchies and the looming shadows of revolution. This drawing, though seemingly simple, offers a glimpse into the world of royal representation and the construction of power. The hand, likely modeled on a real person, becomes a symbol of authority. Think about the labor that produced it and the life it represents. The hand is depicted holding what seems to be a fan, which could be a gesture of power. Through this intimate study, Juel invites us to consider the ways in which individual identity and lived experience were carefully mediated to uphold the structures of monarchy. It's a fascinating insight into the negotiation between individual and state, artist and patron, and the personal and political.