The Construction of Copenhagen´s Dock in the Reign of Christian VI

The painting was created by Nicolai Abildgaard in 1786, executed in oil on canvas. According to the Wikidata record, the work is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is currently located. The painting depicts Christian VI of Denmark, the monarch under whose reign the Copenhagen dock construction took place, providing the historical subject matter for the history painting.

No further details regarding the original commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.

Nicolai Abildgaard's 1786 oil painting depicting Christian VI reflects the neoclassical historical narrative favored by the Danish court, situating the work within his broader role as a leading figure of Danish historicism. Contemporary scholarship emphasizes its technical precision and political symbolism, while its inclusion in the Statens Museum for Kunst collection underscores its enduring significance in the study of Northern European art.

Nicolai Abildgaard’s 1794 oil painting records the building of Copenhagen’s dock under King Christian VI. Executed in a neoclassical idiom, the work presents a staged scene of officials and laborers amid a rocky shoreline, with the monarch’s presence implied through the composition. The canvas is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s collection.