Christian IV til hest 1650 - 1670

Rombout van den Hoeye created this portrait of Christian IV on horseback sometime in the mid-17th century. The print immortalizes the Danish-Norwegian king, known for his long reign and ambitious projects, against a backdrop of dramatic skies and detailed architecture. This image is more than a regal portrait; it's a statement of power and identity in a period defined by royal authority and expanding empires. The choice to depict Christian IV on horseback is deliberate. Horses were historically associated with nobility, warfare, and command. We are invited to consider the performance of leadership, particularly how rulers like Christian IV constructed their public images. It reflects both the aspirations and the complex realities of the period. In its lines, we see the echoes of a society grappling with its self-image, caught between tradition and the winds of change.