Peter Tutein with his Youngest Son Louis Alexander c. 1800

Jens Juel painted this portrait of Peter Tutein with his youngest son, Louis Alexander, during an era defined by shifting social roles and nascent bourgeois values. Here, the intimacy between father and son is palpable. Peter Tutein's gentle gaze and relaxed posture communicate a sense of warmth, while young Louis Alexander clings affectionately to his father, his small hand clutching an apple. This representation of fatherhood diverges from the more formal and distant portrayals of paternal figures common in earlier aristocratic portraiture. Juel here captures a tender moment that speaks to the evolving emotional landscape of family life. Juel was particularly known for his ability to depict the emotional essence of his subjects. In his work, we witness a shift towards recognizing the importance of familial bonds and individual emotions in shaping identity and society.