899/​161

C. W. Eckersberg (b. Blåkrog near Aabenraa 1783, d. Copenhagen 1853)

Christian IV on board the Trinity (Treenigheden). Christian IV has been hit by a splinter from a cannon and falls down fatally wounded, but he miraculously rises holding a cloth over his eye and again becomes the center of his crew. Signed and dated E 1803. Drawing ink, pencil and wash on paper. Sheet size 23×30.

Eckersberg repeated the motif in 1832 (Emil Hannover no. 467), after he had made the four large paintings for the Royal chambers at Christiansborg in 1828. That one is owned by the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg. He might have been inspired by Wilhelm Bendz, who in 1828 made af depiction of the motif for the Parole Hall after Abildgaard's sketch from 1782.

Perhaps the most famous painting of “Christian IV on the Trinity” or “Kong Christian stod ved højen mast...” (King Christian stood by the high mast ...) was painted by Vilhelm Marstrand for Christian IV's chapel in Roskilde Cathedral. It measures 4.5×7 meters.

Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen auction 175, 1965 no. 248.

Condition

Condition report on request. Please contact: fine-art@bruun-rasmussen.dk

Auction

Paintings & drawings, 1 December 2020

Category
Estimate

30,000–50,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

65,000 DKK