Didrik Slagheck. (Portrettstudie til Christian II undertegner dødsdommen over Torben Oxe")"

This 1875 portrait study by Eilif Peterssen of Didrik Slagheck — a figure from the drama of Christian II's court — was a preparatory study for his large history painting depicting Christian II signing the death warrant of Torben Oxe. Slagheck was a controversial historical figure, a cleric who played a significant role in the events leading to the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520. Peterssen's engagement with this material reflects the broader 19th-century Scandinavian interest in the dramatic history of the Nordic kingdoms, and preparatory character studies like this one document the working method of historical painters who sought psychological authenticity in their figure types.

As a preparatory character study, the painting prioritizes the psychological expression and physical type of the historical figure over formal compositional elegance. Peterssen renders the face with direct, confident brushwork that captures character and intensity.