International studio (50.1913)

The Chateau of Rosenborg, Copenhagen

up to the housing of the treasures now in its
keep.
The exterior aspect of Rosenborg has been
preserved almost without alteration; copper roofing
was substituted for the original slate during the
reign of Frederick IV, and subsequent repairs
have otherwise made amends for most of the
mistakes committed at the instance of some of
King Christian’s successors. Thus the paint with
which the red brick and the sandstone bands and
ornaments of the walls had more than once been
besmeared was removed, and incongruous latter-
day windows, again, had to make room for the
original small panes in their leaden setting.
As regards the interior, time has wrought greater
changes, especially in the two upper stories, where
Renaissance had to give way to later styles, baroque
and rococo. This, however, need be no matter
of regret, inasmuch as the alterations have un-
questionably been brought about by artists of great
ability and without the exchequer being unduly
considered—rather the reverse perhaps. Christian
V, for instance, infatuated by the extravagant
splendour of the court of Louis XIV, tried, albeit
in a more modest way, to follow in his wake and

thus the collections of the different kings and
queens to a great extent are still to be seen in the
original surroundings of the period, an ideal arrange-
ment which more than one museum is now striving
to adopt, but which at Rosenborg time and cir-
cumstances have brought about in an entirely
spontaneous manner.
The entrance to the castle is now by way of
the northern and southern tower, and leads into
a long corridor or gallery which connects the two
large apartments at the ends of the building. The
northern of these is one of the most interesting and
pleasing, though by no means the most elaborate
in the chateau. It is called the Audience Chamber
of Christian IV, but appears formerly to have
been known as the Queen’s Apartment. There
is a warm, mellow restfulness over this room;
a span of three hundred years has made the
oak in pillars, panelling, and ceiling, and the
numerous, evenly sized paintings let into the panels
—one of which happens to be dated 1613—tone
together as rarely do paintings and wood ; and it
is a matter of wonderment to me that this room
has never inspired latter-day architects to somewhat
similar efforts. Twenty-two Ionian semi-pillars or


THE CHATEAU OF ROSENBORG, COPENHAGEN

FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
IO9