Leonora Christina Ulfeldt 1720 - 1775

Jonas Haas produced this engraving of Leonora Christina Ulfeldt in eighteenth-century Denmark. Haas's print is not just a portrait; it's a statement about status, memory, and the politics of representation. Leonora Christina was a controversial figure, imprisoned for years due to her family's political entanglements. In post-Reformation Europe, the rise of print culture allowed for images and ideas to circulate more widely than ever before. Consider how Haas uses the visual codes of portraiture to position Leonora Christina within a specific social context. The oval frame, the owl, the inscription, all contribute to the meaning of the image. Understanding this work requires historical research, delving into biographical accounts, political pamphlets, and the visual culture of the period. By exploring these resources, we can better understand the complex interplay of art, power, and social memory in eighteenth-century Denmark.