En siddende kongefigur, med krone, scepter og æble samt en stående figur i rustning 1831 - 1852

Dankvart Dreyer sketched this kingly scene with pencil on paper, envisioning power through symbolic objects. We see a seated king, complete with crown, scepter, and orb – these emblems are hardly unique to Dreyer’s Denmark. Consider the orb, the "globus cruciger," a universal symbol of dominion since Roman emperors held it, reappearing in medieval Christian art as earthly power blessed by God. It evolved, didn't it? From pagan authority to divine right, the orb's meaning shifted with the winds of belief. Yet, the psychological allure remains – the orb, a miniature world held in one’s hand, a fantasy of control. The standing figure in armor, though less adorned, stands as a vigilant defender. These archetypes of ruler and protector evoke a potent collective memory – a subconscious yearning for order and security. The cyclical return of such imagery reminds us that these fundamental human needs echo across time, perpetually resurfacing in our art.