Satirisk blad 1789

This satirical print was made by Gerhard Ludvig Lahde in Denmark at the turn of the 19th century. At first glance, this seems a chaotic scene, but it’s cleverly constructed. We see a king on his throne, seemingly receiving courtiers, but look closer. The king is flanked by a fool and a schemer, and his advisors approach with gifts that are absurd or offensive. A hand from above pours injustice on the king’s head while armed guards stand ready to enforce his will. Lahde was working at a time when the absolute power of the Danish monarchy was increasingly contested by those who wanted a more democratic society. Images like this played a vital role in the public sphere, undermining the dignity of the royal family and the institutions that propped them up. To properly understand a work like this, we need to look at the political climate of the time, as well as the conventions of satire. The resources available at the Statens Museum for Kunst can help us do just that.