The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgBerent van der Eichen

Berent van der Eichen

Berent van der Eichen was a weaver of tapestries. He was active in Denmark at the end of the 17th century. He was probably born in the Spanish Low Countries (present day Belgium). In the middle of the 1680s he was commisioned by Christian V to make 12 tapestries showing the Danish victories in the Scanian War.

The tapestries depict both land and naval battles; almost half have portraits of Christian V and all are furnished with borders showing trophies of war and the national coat of arms surrounded by the Orders of the Elephant and Dannebrog. The tapestries depicting land battles are modelled on the series L’Histoire du Roi, made for Louis XIV; the maritime tapestries are modelled on a series of six tapestries at Hampton Court, showing the Battle of Solebay.

Van der Eichen got a studio in Copenhagen in 1684 in order to execute the series. The tapestries were finished in 1692 but the studio continued to weave new tapestries and repair old ones. In 1698 van der Eichen was given a passport with permission to take some of his tapestries abroad. It is likely that he left the country in 1700.

 

Relations

11 Frederik IV's Cabinet

This room was used by Frederik IV's sister, Princess Sophie Hedevig, as an audience chamber; none of its original furnishings have been preserved.

12 Christian VI's Room

This room was originally the bedchamber of Frederik IV's sister, Sophie Hedevig.

The Battle of Öland

The battle at Øland on 1 June 1676, where the Swedish fleet lost its three largest men-of-war.

21 The Knights' Hall

The hall, which was the last room to be furnished, was completed in 1624. It was originally intended and used as a ballroom.

1650-1675

The wars of Charles Gustavus (1657-1658 and 1658-1660) were the important events in foreign politics of the period. The loss of Scania, Halland and Blekinge at the Peace of Roskilde in 1658 was a nadir of power politics in Danish history.

Christian V

Christian V was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1670; son of Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was married to Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel in 1667. He was the father of Frederik IV.