An Interior from the Past Century. Scene from the Court of Christian VII 1881

Kristian Zahrtmann painted this scene of Christian VII's court, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. We see the King in a powdered wig and elaborate costume, leaning with some difficulty toward a child held by her mother. Pay close attention to the King's posture. In earlier eras, a king might have been portrayed upright, embodying power and authority. Here, his slightly stooped figure and tentative reach suggest a certain vulnerability, perhaps even weakness. Consider how this pose differs from, say, depictions of Roman emperors or Renaissance monarchs. Those figures project strength, almost a divine right to rule. But here, Zahrtmann captures a more human, flawed figure, more vulnerable than powerful. It appears to suggest a shift in the symbolic representation of monarchy, reflecting changing attitudes towards leadership and authority. The old symbols wane, giving way to something new.