Portrait of Frederik V in Anointment Robe

The Swedish-born court painter Pilo has depicted the absolute Danish monarch as elevated high above his subjects, surrounded by clouds and fluttering robes. The king has no equal, and he belongs to a different sphere than the common citizen. Frederik V is wearing his anointment robe, further accentuating his position. The anointment signifies that the monarchy is instituted by God. During the anointment the king would be daubed on his forehead, chest, and right wrist, and the painter refers to this by letting his forehead catch the light and leaving his right hand ungloved. Pilo strove for verisimilitude in his portraiture, but did not seek to provide an impression of Frederik V as a person. This is a portrait of a ruler, not an individual.