Christian IV 1844

Axel Theodor Kittendorff created this print of Christian IV, using a technique called etching. Think of etching as a kind of controlled scratching. The artist coats a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then uses a sharp needle to draw through it, exposing the metal underneath. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. This painstaking process allows for incredibly fine detail, visible in the king's laurel crown, the folds of his robes, and the determined set of his jaw. Prints like this one would have been relatively accessible to a middle-class audience, who could consume images of their leaders without commissioning an expensive painting or sculpture. The production process itself, involving labor and materials, connects this image to broader social and economic forces. Looking closely at the etched lines, we can appreciate the skill involved, and consider how such a work blurs the lines between art, craft, and the reproduction of power.