Portrait of the Danish King Christian II

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. 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.

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 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.