Artwork
Charles I of England (1600–1649) as Prince of Wales
Charles I of England (1600–1649) as Prince of Wales is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Daniël Mijtens. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The portrait of Charles I, painted in 1624, shows the future monarch while he still held the title Prince of Wales.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait shows Charles I of England in his youth, presented as Prince of Wales, wearing attire that signifies his royal status and political authority.
The portrait shows Charles I of England in his youth, presented as Prince of Wales, wearing attire that signifies his royal status and political authority. Symbolic elements such as the scepter and regal garments emphasize his position within the Stuart lineage and the expectations of monarchy. The composition conveys both the personal dignity of the sitter and the broader notion of divine right associated with his rule.
Technique & Style
Daniël Mijtens executed the portrait of Charles I as Prince of Wales in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for early seventeenth-century English portraiture. The painting measures 207 cm in height and 125 cm in width, a tall, full-length format suited to royal state portraiture.
Classified simply as a painting and portrait, the work belongs to the tradition of formal court imagery, with Mijtens applying oil paint in a manner consistent with his documented practice as a portraitist to the Stuart court. No further details of handling, condition, or stylistic qualities are documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Charles I as Prince of Wales was painted by Daniël Mijtens in 1624, as indicated by the work’s inception date. Executed in oil on canvas, it measures 207 cm high by 125 cm wide and is classified as a portrait painting. After its creation the painting entered the holdings of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it remains today. No earlier owners or commission details are recorded in the available sources.
The work is held at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. It is inventoried as SMK 199.
Its exhibition history includes display at the Statens Museum for Kunst in 2019 as part of the exhibition “Magtens Ansigt: Portrætter fra Statens Museum for Kunst.”
Overview
The portrait of Charles I, painted in 1624, shows the future monarch while he still held the title Prince of Wales. Executed in oil on canvas, the work presents the young heir in formal attire, standing before a curtained window with a hat placed on a nearby table. The composition emphasizes his status through sumptuous costume and a poised stance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniël Mijtens (Dutch pronunciation:; c. 1590 – 1647/48), known in England as Daniel Mytens the Elder, was a Dutch Golden Age portrait painter belonging to a family of Flemish painters who spent the central years of his…
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