A Theatrical Allegory of Feminine Ambition: A Compelling Spectacle. In this painting attributed to Königsmarck, the artist orchestrates a true visual opera that masterfully combines portraiture, self-portraiture, and learned allegory.
On the right side of this virtuosic composition, the artist presents herself holding the portrait of Ulrika Eleonora, asserting her status as court painter. On the left, Fama, the goddess of renown, spreads her majestic wings with trumpet raised to proclaim both royal and artistic glory.
This audacious staging reveals a remarkable strategy of legitimization: the artist does not merely paint—she theorizes her art. The sumptuous draperies in royal ultramarine blue and imperial purple, combined with theatrical gestures, create a chromatic symphony of refined elegance. The pearlescent luminosity of flesh tones contrasts with mysterious shadows, a technique inherited from Northern Caravaggism. This work stands as a manifesto: feminine art claims its rightful place in the European cultural pantheon.
Essential Information
- Allegory with Self-Portrait and Profile Portrait of Ulrika Eleonora the Elder, by Amalia von Königsmarck, 1689
- Oil on canvas, 101 × 120 cm
- Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (Gallery 1662, 17th century)
- Collection reference: https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/en/collection/item/132604/
Amalia von Königsmarck (1663-1740) revolutionized Swedish art through her creative audacity. An enlightened aristocrat, she transcended social conventions to embrace a professional artistic career unprecedented in Scandinavia. Trained in Italian and Flemish traditions, she mastered both ceremonial portraiture and allegorical complexity. Under the protection of the Swedish royal court, Königsmarck developed a personal pictorial language that blended European influences with Nordic sensibility, paving the way for generations of Scandinavian women artists.
