Christian VII Uniting the Ducal with the Royal Part of Holstein in 1773 1790

Nicolai Abildgaard painted ‘Christian VII Uniting the Ducal with the Royal Part of Holstein in 1773’ using oil on canvas. The composition, dominated by cool blues and creams, has an ethereal quality, almost like a staged dream. Christian VII sits enthroned to the right, while two female figures stand to the left. An eagle looms in the upper reaches of the canvas. This painting can be understood as a symbolic representation of power and unity. The figures, rendered in Neoclassical style, serve less as portraits and more as allegorical forms. Note how the eagle, a traditional symbol of authority, clutches a heraldic shield, visually linking divine right with territorial claim. The gazes and gestures choreograph a scene where power is both bestowed and received. Abildgaard uses this formal arrangement to create a visual argument about legitimacy and the nature of rule. The painting operates as a complex sign, inviting viewers to interpret its symbols within the context of 18th-century political thought. Through its elegant composition and symbolic language, the painting transcends its immediate subject, offering a meditation on the construction and performance of authority itself.