For a dating of the two portraits see: Ellen Poulsen, “Jens Juel”, 1991, vol. 2 p. 47, no. 43 and 44. The two portraits of the royal couple are dated to 1766–1767. They have great similarity in time with the present portraits. However, it is less likely that Juel was also the painter behind the present portraits.

King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde were married in 1766 in Copenhagen. He was the son of King Frederik V of Denmark and Queen Louise, née Princess of Great Britain as the daughter of King George II of Great Britain. She was the daughter of Prince Frederick Louis of Wales, who also was the son of King George II of Great Britain. As Queen Louise and Prince Frederick Louis were siblings, King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde were first cousins. They were also very close relatives of the married couple, Landgrave Carl and Landgrave Louise of Hesse-Kassel, who were also married in 1766. The Landgrave was thus the son of Princess Marie of Great Britain - a sister of Queen Louise and Prince Frederick Louis of Wales. Landgravine Louise was the sister of King Christian VII. The Landgrave couple were thus also first cousins. The close family bond, in which King Christian VII was very near to his sister, Landgravine Louise, was expressed in many ways. For example, the Landgrave was appointed the Danish order as Knight of the Elephant and Commanding General in Schleswig-Holstein, where he also became governor with his main residence at Gottorp Castle. The close family ties were probably also the reason why King Christian VII gave the Landgrave couple the distinguished and extensive silver service, named "The Landgrave Carl and Landgravine Louise of Hesse-Kassel's Silver Service. For this, please see other items in this theme auction. To lead the thread to the Glücksborg family, the Landgrave couple's daughter, Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1789–1867) was married in 1810 to Duke Wilhelm of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, from 1825 Duke and Duchess of Glücksburg. This ducal couple became parents to, among others, Duke Carl of Glücksburg, Duke Friedrich of Glücksburg, Prince Hans of Glücksburg, Duchess Friederike of Anhalt-Bernburg and King Christian IX of Denmark. Due to the connections between the Danish, Oldenburg royal house and the Landgrave couple, it is quite natural that these portraits of a Danish royal couple are found in the present collection.

Unfortunately, it has not been possible to precisely identify the painter of the two fine early portraits of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde. Among several, two painters may be a possibility. One is Andreas Brünniche (1709–1769), who painted many portraits of the royal family. Another more likely possibility is Peter Wichmann (1706–1769), who is also responsible for a large number of portraits of the Royal Danish family. His painting technique and -style is very recognizable on the present portraits. It will therefore make sense to attribute these two portraits to Peter Wichmann.

Provenance: ”The Historical Collection of Four Princesses From the Cavalier House of Glücksburg Castle”. The cultural heritage after the sisters, Her Highness Princess Elisabeth of Ysenburg and Büdingen, née Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1945–2024), Her Highness Princess Irene of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1946), Her Highness Princess Margaretha of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1948), and Her Highness Princess Sibylla Ursula of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1955). Online auction no. 2545 at Bruun Rasmussen Arts Auctioneers in Lyngby, 3 November, 2025.