Kompositionsstudie til portræt i hel figur af Frederik den sjette som ung kronprins 1781

This is Jens Juel’s compositional study in preparation for a full portrait of Frederik VI, sketched with pen on paper. Juel was a leading portraitist in Denmark during the late 18th century, an era defined by rigid social hierarchies. As such, portraiture was a powerful tool for constructing and reinforcing the identities of the elite. This sketch offers a glimpse into the making of royal identity. Frederik is depicted as a young crown prince, embodying both authority and youthful promise. Yet, consider the implications of portraying a ruler in such a manner. How does it reflect the complex negotiations of power, gender, and representation inherent in royal portraiture? What tensions arise between the individual and the symbolic role they inhabit? Juel's sketch invites us to reflect on the personal and political dimensions of representation, and the ways in which identities are crafted, negotiated, and imposed.