Lot 190: Attributed to Liepmann Fraenckel (Danish, 1772-1857) Frederik VI (1768-1839), King of Denmark (1808-1839), King of Norway (1808-1814), profile to left, wearing scarlet uniform with blue collar trimmed with silver braid, silver epaulette with three

Frederik VI (1768-1839), King of Denmark (1808-1839), King of Norway (1808-1814), profile to left, wearing scarlet uniform with blue collar trimmed with silver braid, silver epaulette with three gold stars, the blue sash and breast star of the Order of the Elephant and the breast star of a Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog.
Watercolour on vellum, gilt-metal frame with green velvet mount.
Oval, 60mm (2 3/8in) high
Provenance: Presented to Sir Augustus Foster, the British Minister in Copenhagen by King Frederik

The present lot is clearly related to a series of etchings of the sitter by C. Bruun (see Magnus Olausson, Nationalmuseum Stockholm: Swedish and Other Nordic Miniatures Vol. II, Stockholm, 2001, pp.287-289

Frederik was the son of King Christian VII and his wife, Caroline Mathilde, sister of George III. As his father suffered from recurrent bouts of mental illness, Frederik ruled as Regent of Denmark from 1784 until his accession in 1808. A noted liberal during his younger years, he instigated various reforms, including the abolition of serfdom in 1788. However, once he became king, he became increasingly reactionary and suppressed any opposition to his rule. Despite Frederik's close family ties to England, the two countries engaged in fierce disputes over neutral shipping during the Napoleonic Wars. In the former instance, this led to the rout of the Danish navy at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. None of Frederik's sons by his wife, Marie-Sophie of Hesse-Kassel, survived infancy and he was eventually succeeded by his cousin, Christian VIII.