Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg

Emil Hannover, C.W. Eckersberg, Copenhagen, 1898, p. 388, no. 496, catalogued & discussed

Original canvas. There is one minor fleck of fluorescing retouching to the right side of the extreme upper edge. Apart from some very fine craquelure to the coat of the nearest soldier, this work is in very good condition. Held in a simple, gold-painted moulded plaster and wood frame with a name plate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The subject is King Frederick IV arriving at the old Copenhagen Castle to inspect a division of the newly-established militia. It is a sketch from 1834-35 for a large painting commissioned by the king for Christiansborg Castle. The large painting was executed in 1836 and is still at Christiansborg Castle (fig. 1).

The son of Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel and Christian V, Frederick IV was the king of Demark and Norway from 1699 until his death in 1730. His reign was marred by the lengthy Great Northern War against Sweden (1700-1721), a conflict from which Denmark ultimately emerged victorious. A man of responsibility and industry, Frederick IV also had a colourful background both as a womaniser and avid patron of the arts. In the 1720s he had the medieval Copenhagen Castle demolished and commissioned the architect Elias David Häusserbuilt to build the first Christiansborg Palace. Most of the baroque palace complex was completed by 1745, but was subsequently razed by fire and has been rebuilt twice since.

FIG. 1, C.W. Eckersberg, the large version of the present work, Christiansborg Castle, Copenhagen