Figure 1.--This is a portrait of Crown Prince Christian (future Christian IV) as a 7 year-old prince, painted around 1585 by Hans Knieper. The artist was a Flemish painter commissioned by King Frederick II for both tapastries and paintings. The portrait was created shortly after the young prince was recognized as the heir to the throne by the Danish Council of the Realm. The prtrait is espcially interesting because Christian also appeared in Kniepper's tapastries. The short hair is interesting. The coming 17th century was a time of big hair.

Hans Knieper was a Flemish painter and draughtsman active in Denmark and assocvited with the Royal Court of Frederick II. He became a court painter and tapestry 'cartoon' designer at the Royal Court and ran a tapestry weaving shop. We do not know anything about Knieper childhood and training groingb up in Flanders. It is believed that he was born in Antwerp. here are various forms of his name, including Johannes de Antwerpia. We believe his earkt artiustic development was assiciated with the Brussels family of weavers de Smet. It is belived that Knieper had developed a reputation that attracted the Royal Family to Knieper. King Frederick II's envoy Thomas Tenniker engaged him a a court artist (1577). The KIng wanted Knieper to design tapestries for Kronborg Castle. Frederick II and a young crown prince Christian is depicted on one of the 15 surviving Kronborg Tapestries. King Frederick was turning the medieval fortress into an impresdsive Renaissance castle H had engaged Flemish architects (Hans Hendrik van Paesschen and Anthonis van Obbergen). Frederick had decided to engage artists and craftsmen to work on site rather than just purchasing art work. Flanders was a rich source of artists and craftsmen. I as among he richest provinces of Europe because of the weaving industry that devloped there in the medieval era. The wealth resulted in an artistic explosion. Knieper became director of the weaving workshop. Fladers is relatively close to Denmark. Knieper moved back and forth between Denmark and Flanders to import needed materials and hire skilled workers. He set up highly skilled workshop near Kronborg Castle with some 20 weavers who created works for the King. He is believed to have appointed another master weaver to manage the operation. His workshop began actualdeliveries (1579) Ther were many tapasteries illustrtating Old Trestament stories. The weaving activity coninued (until 1581). Throughout this period, Knieper worked as court painter. He did relgiou npaintings and an altarpiece. Frederick II commissioned Knieper o weeave a tapestry series depicting the Danish royal genealogy -- bssiclly 111 former Danish kings, inclding Frederick and Crown Prince Christian. (A comparable Swedish tapestry royal cycle tApastry was contracted with 143 kings by Erik XIV. The tapstry covered the walls of the ballroom at Kronborg Castle. Only a few survive. A msterwork was the Throne Baldaquin. Knieper is credited with 'reviving' Danish portrait painting, bnut wewonfnder is foundimg is not ba more accurate term, He peronally did pportarits of King Frederick II, Queen Sophie, the Queen's father, Duke Ulrich III of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and the Crown Prince Christian. Knieper's portrait painting negan modern depictionms. The portrait of Frederick II is the first known full-length secular portrait that is also set into a three-dimensional pictorial setting.

Created: 7:56 AM 5/22/2026
Last updated: 7:56 AM 5/22/2026