Perhaps you've already seen the new official portrait of Denmark's royal family, painted by Thomas Kluge. If not, look here. Be warned — it's strange.
Here are some samples of what people have been saying about the painting:
We're not saying "All Hail the Satanic overlords," but we're also not not saying that. — The new Danish royal family portrait is super creepy
Is the Danish royal family starring in a sequel to The Omen? — Danish royal family portrait looks like a horror movie poster
The sort of painting that would look more at home as the inside front cover of a V.C. Andrews paperback than hanging on a palace wall. — This painting of the Danish royal family will steal your soul
Behind the crowded composition, with its gaggle of creepy toddlers… a floating Romantic cityscape suggests that the Danish royal family holds the key to time travel. — New Danish royal portrait is a disaster
The painting depicts three generations of royals, all eerily aglow… Behind the group: the ruins of the city they have destroyed. — Denmark ruled by demon family.
I know the Danish royals are into modern art, but I'm surprised that they decided to share this menacing family portrait with the public. What do you think?
Aside the general darkness & eerie looking children (in particular) I had the impression that the artist worked from photos. Everyone looks plastic – there is no interaction between the people who are portraied; the group has a "pasted together" look — very unreal.
It really is just awful. Those children are just gorgeous but it doesn't capture them at all especially Prince Christian who is really a lovely looking little boy.
I gather that the boy standing in the front is supposed to be Christian. I do not like this portrait at all. Looks more like the Addams family than a current Royal Family. Is this the look for modern Royals? Remember that one of the Duchess of Cambridge, her first official one. Made her look old and tired and that was before she had the baby. And that horrible one Rolf Harris painted of Queen Elizabeth some years ago..
An abomination. They look like the extended Adams Family.
Horrible picture. All look lifeless, ugly, little prince Christian looks like a bully. I don't understand how this pitiful intent of painting the Royal family got published. It;s a shame, makes them the laughing stock of the world !! Why did the Queen accept it !!!
My first thought was The Omen, but VC Andrews is appropriate too. Very creepy.
I agree with most of the comments above. Compare this portrait with the one of the Danish Royal family done in 1883. The early one is lovely; the new portrait is ugly.
The Anti-Christ is alive and well and living in Copenhagen!! With Damian/Christian front and center. That portrait would be right at home in a Transylvanian castle. I don't know what they paid for it, but I would definitely want my money back!!
I thought it was quite good – it has depth. Christian stands in the foreground as the hope of the monarchy. If you draw a line from him to his parents through his grandmother, and another from him to his grandfather, it is obvious he is the point of focus. It's in reverse perspective -usually perspective focuses at a distant point in the background. The background represents the past or history which then runs through these 'perspective lines' to the point of focus, which is Christian. That was well thought and artistically brilliant. The pity is, however, that they chose to picture this so lovely family in this 'shroud of darkness' which lends a hint of evil to everything.
Ruth, thank you for a different point of view. Looking at it again, I am struck by how sad Christian looks, as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. His uncle looks at him as if worried, his parents seem oblivious, his grandmother looks proud of him. It's really quite interesting — and unexpected.