Michel Sittow (1468-1525/26), Portrait of the Danish King Christian II, 1514/15
Michel Sittow, Portrait of the Danish King Christian II, 1514/15. KMSsp789
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The first works of art acquired by the Danish kings were presumably royal portraits. For example, Michel Sittow’s portrait of Christian II undoubtedly belonged to the king himself.
International success
This is the first artist of international significance to be featured in the collection. Sittow, who is presumed to have been a student of Hans Memling in Brügge, worked for the leading noble houses of Europe.
A portrait of a king
The portrait reflects a king whose close family ties to the imperial Habsburg court drew in into the centre of European art and culture. On his subsequent travels and exile the king came into direct contact with the cultural centres of Europe.
The beginning of The Royal Collection of Graphic Arts
The heritage of Christian II also includes a set of prints by Dürer, who gave the King these prints as a gift in 1521. The prints formed the basis for The Royal Collection of Graphic Arts, which was founded in 1831.
Close-up or another view
Here you can zoom-in on the work for a close-up view of all of the details. - Or you can gain a new understanding about the work by watching films where researchers, conservators and artists talk about the work from their viewpoint.
Zoom and see the details
Michel Sittow, Portrait of the Danish King Christian II (1481-1559), 1514/1515.
Download the image in high resolution | CC BY
More views of the work – see the films
The artist Husk Mit Navn tells about Michel Sittows painting: Portrait of the Danish King Christian II.
Producer: Martin Køhler Jørgesen
Contributory: Husk Mit Navn
Our conservator Troels Filtenborg tells about Michel Sittows painting: Portrait of the Danish King Christian II.
Producer: Martin Køhler Jørgensen
Contributory: Troels Filtenborg
