Lot 106: Niklas Lafrensen the Elder (Stockholm 1698-1756)

Portraits of the twelve Kings and Queens of Sweden from Gustavus I to Frederick I surrounding portraits of King Adolphus Frederick, Queen Louise Ulrika and their son the future King Gustavus III
the twelve outer portraits inscribed with the names and dates of the sitters
bodycolor on vellum, the fifteen oval miniatures laid down on a decorative support in black chalk, watercolor and bodycolor, heightened with gold
each miniature 1 3/8 x 1 1/8 in. (35 x 30 mm.), the support 10 3/4 x 8 1/8 in. (274 x 205 mm.)

This set of miniatures shows Swedish monarchs from the House of Vasa, founded by King Gustavus I (1496-1560) and including the great collector of drawings Queen Christina, the House of Wittelsbach and the House of Holstein-Gottorp. The assemblage must have been made between the accession of King Adolphus Frederick in 1751 and the death of Lafrensen in 1756.