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King Frederik V

Jacques Saly1754

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst
Copenhagen, Denmark

The bust of King Frederik V is a typical representative portrait of a ruler. The head is held proudly erect and slightly turned. The Order of the Elephant serves to indicate the sitter’s particularly high rank, while the armour signifies his position as the official head of the military. The cut-off point of the bust is hidden by the loosely draped cloak, the edge of which reaches the bottom edge of the base.

In connection with the plans to erect an equestrian statue of Frederik V in the Amalienborg Square, the donors, i.e. the Asiatic Company as headed by A.G. Moltke, approached the famous French sculptor Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762). The project aimed for maximum prestige, and the Danish patrons wanted the very best within European sculpture to further the glory of both Company and king. However, Bouchardon was compelled to refuse because he was busily at work on an equestrian statue of Louis XV in Paris; that statue is now lost. He recommended his younger colleague Saly (1717-76) instead.Saly accepted the commission, and this bust of Frederik V can be regarded as a preliminary study for the equestrian monument.

After his arrival in Denmark in 1753 Saly was assigned a dwelling at the newly established Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts at Charlottenborg. In 1754 he became the Academy’s director and introduced a number of new statutes and changes to a new charter of 1758; all these changes were inspired by the French academy. Thus, Saly very directly helped create the basis for what would be the Golden Age of Danish art.

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  • Title: King Frederik V
  • Creator: Jacques François Joseph Saly
  • Creator Lifespan: 1717 Valenciennes - 1776 Paris
  • Creator Nationality: French
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Paris
  • Creator Birth Place: Valenciennes
  • Date Created: 1754
  • Værktekst: Frederik 5.s buste er et typisk, repræsentativt fyrsteportræt. Hovedet knejser fornemt med en let drejning. Elefantordenen angiver den særligt høje rang og rustningen den militære lederstilling. Bustens afskæring skjules af den løst draperede kappe, hvis flig når helt ned til soklens underste kant. I forbindelse med planerne om at rejse en rytterstatue af Frederik 5. på Amalienborg Slotsplads henvendte giveren - det Asiatiske Kompagni med Hofmarskal A.G. Moltke i spidsen - sig til den berømte franske billedhugger Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762). Projektet var et prestigeprojekt, og fra dansk side ønskede man sig det ypperste inden for europæisk billedhuggerkunst til både kompagniets og kongens ære. Bouchardon måtte dog afslå, da han var optaget af arbejdet med Ludvig 15.s, nu tabte, rytterstatue i Paris og anbefalede i stedet sin yngre kollega Saly (1717-76). Saly takkede ja og Frederik 5.s buste her kan betragtes som et forarbejde til ryttermonumentet. Saly fik efter ankomsten i 1753 anvist bolig på det nyoprettede kunstakademi på Charlottenborg. I 1754 blev han akademiets direktør og gennemførte, efter det franske akademis forbillede, en række nye bestemmelser og ændringer til en ny fundats af 1758. Saly var hermed direkte med til at skabe grundlaget for det, der skulle blive dansk kunsts guldalder.
  • Teknik: Brændt ler, støbt ca.1760
  • Proveniens: køb 1910
  • Provenance: Acquired 1910
  • Physical Dimensions: h101.5 cm (Without frame)
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=2658
  • Dansk Titel: Frederik V i rustning og med elefantordenen
  • Type: Bust
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Clay
SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

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