Death of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden at the Battle of Lützen

Carl Wahlbom, Death of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden at the Battle of Lützen, 1855, © Nationalmuseeum, Stockholm

This painting shows the moment when the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf is killed on the battlefield at Lützen on 6 November, 1632. The brightly illuminated body of the dead king appears to be sliding off his horse, only to be caught by a horrified Swedish soldier. The king is portrayed as a hero and a martyr, a figure distinctly reminiscent of renditions of the dead Christ. But Wahlbom has also utilised the potential of the scene to show off his strongest technical skill – that of painting horses in various movements and light.

The wonderful thing about printed paintings on pocket squares is that they can produce a number of different effects depending on how they are folded and creates a great topic for conversation once pulled out of the breast pocket.