Geheimeråd Christen Skeel 1693 - 1696

Curator: So, here we have "Geheimeråd Christen Skeel," an engraving made between 1693 and 1696 by Hubert Schaten. What are your first thoughts? Editor: It’s incredibly ornate! There's so much symbolism packed in—cherubs, coats of arms, even classical figures. The mood is definitely formal, befitting a portrait of someone important. How do you interpret all of these layered images? Curator: It’s vital to remember that this wasn't just about likeness; it was about power, lineage, and social standing. Each heraldic symbol functions as a marker of belonging, announcing Skeel's position within a rigid social hierarchy. Look at the female figures flanking the epitaph – what do you see there? Editor: One seems to be contemplating something while holding a book; the other is holding something that resembles a caduceus while grasping the edge of another crest? Are these allegorical figures that support and give power to his family's standing? Curator: Exactly! Knowledge and diplomacy or medicine. These are attributes connected to this person's position and possibly the role of his ancestors. Consider also the very act of creating and displaying such an image – who had access to it? Who was being excluded? What were the costs of making such portraits in 17th-century Danish society? Editor: So, it is more than just an image of Christen Skeel, it's a visual argument about power, status, and exclusion in the late 17th century. Curator: Precisely. And how might these same power dynamics still resonate, perhaps in more subtle forms, within contemporary portraiture today? Editor: This makes me think about the way powerful families are still using visuals to exert their authority. It's all about carefully constructed narratives, even today!