Frederik V på Koldinghus 1749

Poul Isac Grønvold produced this print, Frederik V på Koldinghus, using etching. It depicts King Frederik V's arrival at Kolding Castle. It's worth considering the cultural role of royal portraiture and images of state visits in 18th-century Denmark. This image creates meaning through visual codes of power and status. Consider the architectural grandeur of Kolding Castle, a symbol of royal authority. The gathering of courtiers and the presence of horse-drawn carriages underscore the King's elevated status. As an institution, the royal court exerted considerable influence over artistic production, commissioning works that reinforced its legitimacy. Was this print an officially sanctioned image, intended to circulate among the elite? Or was it made independently? To understand this print better, you might research the history of Kolding Castle, the reign of Frederik V, and the conventions of royal portraiture in 18th-century Denmark. Art history shows us that images are never neutral; they always reflect the social and institutional conditions of their making.