The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgCastle historyInterior and objects10 Frederik IV's Hall
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10 Frederik IV’s Hall

ROOM 10: This room was originally one bay longer and was used as Christian IV’s Audience Chamber. A marble fireplace, now in the King’s Chamber, and ceiling paintings with mythological motifs, now in Christian IV’s Winter Garden , were among the room’s original decorations; on the walls were family portraits of the King’s family.

As part of a conversion in 1700, the room was shortened and furnished as an antechamber for Frederik IV’s sister, Princess Sophie Hedevig. During the conversion, the ceiling panels with painted emblems were put up; they were originally on the oldest ceiling of the Long Hall and possibly painted by Anders Nielsen in 1623. At the same conversion the walls were covered with tapestries woven in Oudenaarde in the Netherlands, in modern day Belgium.

The chandelier of rock crystal with arms of chiselled steel was probably made in Vienna by Anton Matthias Joseph Domanöck. It was a present from the Austrian Empress Maria Theresia. From 1754 to 1794 it hung in the King’s Audience Chamber at Christiansborg Palace.

Room 11 ->

Objects in this room
1000-1009
1002. Table with with inlaid semi-precious stones. A present to Frederik IV, 1709, from the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
1003. Queen Louise, consort of Frederik IV; three quarter length, painted by J.S. du Wahl.
1004. Frederik IV: small equestrian silver statuette, presented to the King as a New Year present by Queen Louise in 1701; made in Copenhagen by the King’s goldsmith Andreas Normand. The enamelled coats-of-arms by Josias Barbette?
1005. Two lacquered tables with mirrors, made by the van Bracht family? Part of the lacquered furnishings made for the King’s Chamber (Room 6). 1720s?
1006. Double portrait of Frederik IV and his sister, Sophie Hedevig; painted on a corrugated surface, so that only one at a time can be seen; executed in 1692 by G.A. Bois Clair.
1007. Cabinet, decorated with lacquer and with mosaics of semiprecious stones. Lacquering by Christian van Bracht, mosaics brought back from Florence by Frederik IV in 1709. Belonged to the King’s sister, Princess Sophie Hedevig.
1008. Silver jug in the shape of a horse.
1009. Frederik IV; three quarter length, painted by J.S. du Wahl.
1010-1019
1010. Two generations: Christian V and Queen Charlotte Amalie together with Frederik IV and Queen Louise. Ivory reliefs from c.1700.
1011. Four portrait reliefs of Frederik IV and Queen Louise, made by Jean Cavalier, among others, in the 1690s.
1012. Tea service. A teapot, two sugar bowls and cups. Gilded silver with chinoiserie in lacquer. Made by Elias Adam in Augsburg 1708-9. Presumably a present from Frederik IV to his sister, Sophie Hedevig.
1013. Covered tureen of Icelandic obsidian, made by H. Holst 1725 in Copenhagen and ornamented with miniatures of Frederik IV, Anna Sophie, and Carl XII.
1014. Two carafes with the double monograms of Frederik IV and Christian VI and inscriptions. Saxony, c. 1714.
1015. Medicine chest. South Germany c. 1720.
1016. Chinese cup and saucer, with Danish inscription commemorating the Peace of Frederiksborg, 1720.
1017. Small Chinese teapot, with Frederik IV’s and Queen Anna Sophie’s monograms.
1018. Frederik IV crowned by the Goddess of Victory. Silver statuette on a pedestal with gilding and green enamel; made on the occasion of the Peace of Frederiksborg, 1720. Signed: Peter Klein.
1019. Frederik IV. Statuette, alabaster, made by Thomas Quellinus or his workshop c.1700.
1020-1029
1022. Frederik IV’s leather-covered savings box.
1023 Silver cups with covers. Augsburg work. Tournament prize from a party given for Frederik IV in Dresden 1709.
1025. Pack of cards with pictures in silk patchwork.
1026. Goblet of copper on a stem of two crossed forks united by a crown. Presented to Queen Louise by admiral Christian Carl Gabel, whose coat-of-arms consists of two crowned forks.
1028. To goblets of gilt silver with inscriptions commemorating the alliance against Carl XII of Sweden, entered by Frederik IV of Denmark, August the Strong of Saxony-Poland and Peter the Great of Russia in 1709. The lid is Saxonian, the goblets 16th century Nuremberg. Said to have been used in Copenhagen in 1716 by Peter the Great for Danish brandy (aquavit).
1030-1039
1030. Ivory reliefs with biblical and mythological scenes; made by the Norwegian carver Magnus Berg (1666-1739).
1032. Frederik IV; relief portrait in ivory.
1033. Phial with oil from the anointing of Frederik IV.
1034. Frederik IV as Prince. Enamelled miniature signed: J. Barbette.
1035. Anna Sophie’s signet as Duchess of Schleswig, carved in cornelian.
1036. Silver crucifix with gilded ornamentation and matching case in filigree silver. According to Italian accounts it was given to Frederik IV by Maria Maddalena Trenta from Lucca, whom the King met for the first time in 1692 and for the second time in 1709, when she had retired to a convent.
1037. Queen Anna Sophie’s hymnbook.
1038. Silver watch made by Jacob N. Witte in Copenhagen. On the inside, relief portraits of Frederik IV and Anna Sophie.
1039. Guitar covered with tortoiseshell and ivory; bears French inscriptions and the monogram of Princess Sophie Hedevig. Made by Joachim Tielke in Hamburg, 1703.
1040-1049
1040. Altar-shaped clock with movement, quarter-stroke and organ. In the mirror-niche there was originally a stuffed white canary. Drawer containing writing set. Made in Augsburg c.1700 by J.A. Thelott and others.
1041. Frederik IV. Marble bust made by Just Wiedewelt, 1719.
1042. Christian V presiding at the Supreme Court, presumably painted in 1697. The picture is hanging in its original place.
1043. Silver fireguard with Christian VI’s cipher as Crown Prince. Made in 1723 by Marcus Pipgros in Copenhagen.
1044. Two silver andirons with the Hessian arms and the monogram and arms of the Landgravine Hedewig Sophie, mother of Queen Charlotte Amalie; dated 1654. Made in Cassel by Christoph Bucher.
1045. Queen Louise. Pendant to no. 1041.
1046. Table clock (similar to no. 1040) with movement, quarter-stroke and organ. In the hall of mirrors an altar with precious stones, topped by a shepherd, a dog and a lamb, whose body is formed by a pearl. In the drawer are writing utensils. Made in Augsburg c. 1710, by Tobias Baur and J.A. Thelott. Bought by Frederik IV as a birthday present for Queen Louise in 1716.
1048. Grandfather clock with lacquered chinoiserie. The dial is signed: W:m Webster Exchange Alley, London.
1049. Cabinet decorated with water-colours of biblical scenes copied from pictures by Raphael; made in Rome c. 1700 by Giacomo Hermano?. At the top, a night clock with an inside signature: Gio. Wendelinus Hessler fecit Romae. In a drawer, a built-in spinettino signed Johannes Meisser and dated 1678. Purchased in 1767 for Christiansborg.

Relations

Double portrait

Double portrait depicting both Frederik IV and his sister Sophie Hedevig, painted on a ribbed canvas, enabling to singular portrait in one painting. Seen from the right Frederik IV appears, from the left his sister. Completed in 1692 by G.A. Bois-Clair.

Bénoit le Coffre

Bènoit le Coffre was the most important painter in Denmark during the reign of Frederik IV. He was born in Copenhagen and educated in Paris. In 1700 he was appointed Painter of the Court.

Sophie Hedevig

Princess Sophie Hedevig was the daughter of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie. She was the sister of Frederik IV.

Louise

Louise became Queen of Denmark in 1699. She was the daughter of Gustavus Adolf of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. In 1695 she was married to Crown Prince Frederik (IV) and together they had the son Christian (VI).

‘Apollo Flaying Marsyas’

‘Apollo Flaying Marsyas’. The relief, which depicts the punishment by the gods, was made by Joachim Henne c. 1680, after a painting by Jan Liss.

1750-1775

The long peaceful period continued into the second half of the 18th century, and in time the economy also blossomed. The great powers of Europe were at war during long periods and trade found new ways to the benefit of neutral Denmark.

1700-1725

The 18th century was initiated with yet another war between Denmark and Sweden. For Denmark the war was brief, but for Sweden it was the beginning of the Great Nordic War, which Denmark became part of again from 1709.

1725-1750

The conclusion of the Great Nordic War in 1720 was the beginning of a long Danish period of peace. Christian VI succeeded Frederik IV in 1730, and his was the first reign during which Denmark was not at war.