2. sal

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 ->