The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgCastle historyInterior and objects22 The Glass Cabinet
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22 The Glass Cabinet

ROOM 22: In 1713-1714 Frederik IV had the room designed as a Glass Cabinet. Porcelain cabinets of this type were quite common in Europe at the end of the 17th century, but this is the only known glass cabinet. The Cabinet came to hold the exquisite glass collection which Frederik had been presented with by the city of Venice, Europe’s chief producer of glass, which he visited in 1709.

The inspiration for the room was the Porcelain Cabinet at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin. The architect was Chief Fire Officer Gottfried Fuchs; to display the glass, he built consoles in pyramid shape, covered with marbled paper and edged with festoons of lead gilt. The walls were covered with silk, and on the ceiling was a painting of Bacchus, the god of wine, by Lorenz and Marcus Cardes.

The fireplace is from the time of Christian IV, but was later given Frederik III’s monogram. During the time of Christian V, this was the Picture Cabinet containing small intimate paintings, the so-called cabinet pieces.

Room 23 ->

Relations

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.

Frederik IV

Frederik IV was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1699; son of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel. Married for the first time in 1695 to Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, with whom he had Christian (VI).