Artwork
King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden at the Battle by Lützen November 16th, 1632
King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden at the Battle by Lützen November 16th, 1632 is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Asselijn. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1634, this large‑scale history canvas by Dutch painter Jan Asselijn portrays the 1632 Battle of Lützen, where Swedish King Gustav II Adolf fell. The work is part of the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst and remains a key example of seventeenth‑century martial narrative painting.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a tumultuous battlefield, crowded with mounted troops and fallen soldiers. A rider in a white shirt and brown hat dominates the foreground, while a figure in red tumbles from his horse, suggesting the chaos surrounding the king’s death. The scene conveys both the heroism and the disorder of early modern warfare.
Technique & Style
Asselijn employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures and give depth to the smoky sky. Detailed rendering of armor, horse harnesses, and the texture of fabrics demonstrates his meticulous observation, while the dynamic arrangement of bodies creates a sense of movement typical of Baroque battle scenes.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the royal collections of Denmark and eventually was transferred to the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it has been displayed since the early twentieth century. Its attribution to Asselijn has been consistently affirmed by scholars, confirming its place within his relatively small oeuvre of historical subjects.
Artist & collection
