Biskop Hersleb salver Dronning Louise i Frederiksborg Slotskirke. Illustration til Frederik d. IV's salvingsakt 1726 - 1757

Odvardt Helmoldt de Lode created this illustration of Bishop Hersleb anointing Queen Louise in Frederiksborg Palace Church in the 18th century. It depicts a moment of religious and political significance, steeped in the societal norms of the time. The image invites us to consider the role of women in positions of power. Queen Louise kneels, head bowed, as a symbol of piety and submission to both God and her king, even as she ascends to a position of earthly power. The women behind her act as a type of chorus and seem to be mostly of the noble class given their dress. The robes worn by the men contrast with the women's courtly dress emphasizing the divide between religious and royal spheres, which were usually intertwined. Here we see how visual representations of power and gender reinforce the status quo. The artist prompts us to think about the performance of queenship and the negotiations of identity within the strictures of monarchy and religious doctrine.