Christian Frederik 1811

J.F. Clemens created this engraving titled *Christian Frederik*. This portrait captures Prince Christian Frederik during a tumultuous period in Scandinavian history. It was a time marked by shifting national identities and power struggles following the Napoleonic Wars. The Prince, adorned with military regalia, including elaborate epaulettes and medals, embodies the traditional symbols of power and authority. Yet, these symbols are complicated by the historical context. Christian Frederik briefly served as King of Norway, a nation seeking independence from Denmark. The portrait then becomes a statement of his, and Norway's, aspirations. Clemens captures not just a likeness, but a figure caught in the currents of nationalism and political change. The work invites us to consider how identity is constructed through both personal ambition and broader historical forces.