Vignet til Frederik V's Søkrigsartikelsbrev 1754 - 1758

Odvardt Helmoldt de Lode created this vignette for Frederik V's Søkrigsartikelsbrev using engraving techniques. This image offers a window into the institutional history of the Danish Navy during the 18th century. Crests and symbols of naval power are set against a backdrop which appears to represent the naval academy itself. The scene may at first seem like a simple display of heraldry and maritime tools, but a social historian might ask: what is the function of images of power? In a time when naval strength was crucial for trade and defense, this print would have served to legitimize and celebrate the authority of Frederik V's naval regulations, reinforcing the social order and the importance of maritime institutions. To understand it better, we could consult archival documents from the naval academy, exploring the power dynamics of the time.