Cathrine Raben Davidsen (b. 1972) is one of the leading Danish painters of her generation, trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts with further studies in Italy and the Netherlands. Her paintings and drawings weave together literature, Greek mythology and dreamlike imagery into a distinctive, poetic visual language rooted in art-historical tradition. In September 2026 she unveiled the first official portrait of King Frederik X in the Hall of the Knights at Frederiksborg Castle, becoming the first woman to paint a royal portrait for the gallery. Her work has been collected by figures including Bruce Springsteen, Liv Tyler and Sofia Coppola, and in 2022 she became the first-ever recipient of the Beckett Prize.
The new official portrait of King Frederik X, painted by Cathrine Raben Davidsen, was unveiled in the Hall of Knights at Frederiksborg Castle.
The portrait triggered mixed reactions in the public and on social media, with descriptions ranging from 'ugly' to 'striking'.
The artist herself has rejected the criticism and points out that art should not please everyone.
The solo exhibition 'Existence' is shown at Esbjerg Art Museum.
The large retrospective exhibition 'Let Everything Happen to You' was shown at Copenhagen Contemporary and later at Horsens Art Museum.
