Portrait of Christian II, King of Denmark 1523

Mabuse, a Netherlandish artist, made this portrait of Christian II, King of Denmark, using oil on wood, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. Portraits in the early 1500s were more than just likenesses. This image is as much about power and status as it is about the King’s actual appearance. The ermine robes, the heraldry in the background, all speak to Christian’s position. Mabuse was working at a time when rulers were very concerned with projecting an image of authority, and art became a key tool in that project. In studying this portrait, art historians consider not only the artistic style and technique, but also the social and political context in which it was created. We ask: What does the portrait tell us about the king's ambitions? How does it reflect the relationship between the artist and the monarchy? These questions lead us to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between art, power, and society.