D. 11. marts 1852 1852

Adolph Kittendorff made this print on March 11th, 1852. The occasion seems to be a royal wedding. The central image is a boat, and the print may commemorate a naval procession. Above, a group of women dancing in a circle evokes classical imagery. The flags above this scene are Danish, so we know something about its national context. Around the frame, palm trees evoke a sense of exoticism and empire. The context of the print is the Danish monarchy. Its self-conscious classicism speaks to the institutional history of European art academies which have long promoted classical values. As an art historian, I'm interested in the monarchy’s public role at the time. Was this royal marriage an attempt to shore up popular support? We can find answers by looking through newspapers, pamphlets, and other ephemera from 1852.