Christian IV reigned longer than any other king in Denmark. When his father Frederick II died in 1588, the prince was only 11 years old. At that time Denmark ruled an empire of considerable size, with possessions including Schonen [= Skåne?], Halland, and Blekinge as well as the islands Gotland and Ösel. When King Christian died in 1648, numerous territorial losses had deprived Denmark of its erstwhile significance, and the king himself had suffered drastic economic setbacks and the loss of political power. [1]

The numerous defeats suffered by this highly gifted, though luckless monarch, however, did not diminish the esteem in which he was held by later generations of Danes. Today he is remembered more for his patronage and architectural activities than for his campaigns and diplomatic endeavors. The king himself was personally active as a builder and patron: he possessed knowledge of architectural theory and technique and himself produced designs. Art was more highly valued at the court of Denmark during the reign of Christian IV than at any other time in Danish history. Under his patronage, new cities were founded with names such as Christianshavn, Kristianstad, Christianopel, Christiania, Christianspris, or Glückstadt, and the royal palaces were outfitted with splendid furnishings.

Outstanding artists had already been summoned to the royal court by Frederick II: the painter and printmaker Melchior Lorck, the sculptor Johan Gregor van der Schardt, and the painter Hans Knieper, who also prepared cartoons for tapestries. [2] Knieper's commissions included a series of tapestries with depictions of over a hundred Danish kings, beginning with the legendary king Dan. The last of these tapestries shows Frederick II and the young prince Christian with the palaces of Kronborg and Frederiksborg in the background. The series of tapestries thus served to manifest the dynastic superiority of Denmark with respect to the much younger royal house of Sweden. This propagandistic intent also informed many of the decorative programs of Christian IV.

In addition to the royal court, a major influence on the young king was the noble astronomer and astrologer Tycho Brahe, who lived on the island of Hven in the Øresund and represented one of the most important personalities in Danish cultural life. Brahe had drawn up the horoscope for the newborn Prince Christian, the "Urtheil von dieses jungen Herren Nativitet" ("judgement regarding the birth of this young lord"), in which he identified the planets Venus and Mars as particularly influential on Christian's fate. As a child, the prince also visited Hven, where he was first exposed to a residence - Uraniborg - erected according to a comprehensive design, in which the builder's personality was expressed equally in architecture, painting, sculpture, and garden architecture. A few years later, Tycho Brahe fell from the king's favor and in 1599 entered the service of Rudolf II as court astronomer in Prague. [3]

Court artists from the first years after the coronation of Christian IV in 1596 are known for the most part only from archival records. Jan van Wijck, for example, was appointed court portrait painter on February 1, 1598, with a yearly salary of 60 talers and the "usual courtly garb"; however, neither his portraits of the royal family and the Scottish king James VI and his wife Anna nor his mythological and religious paintings are preserved. [4]

The king's first appearance as a Christian ruler occurred at his coronation in Copenhagen in 1596; in the coronation sermon in the Vor Frue church, the bishop of Zealand placed particular emphasis on the divinity of the royal rank. This conception of rulership stood in marked contrast to the electoral character of the Danish monarchy; in addition, the king himself had signed a charter conceding extensive powers to the aristocratic estates (rigsraad). The coronation was Christian IV's first great demonstration of power, an occasion marked by numerous plays, tournaments, and processions, in which visiting foreign princes played a part as well. At the tournament on September 3 and 4, for example, "inventiones" by the margrave Christian of Brandenburg were shown, prepared after designs by Giovanni Maria Nosseni and consisting of a "mountain of virtues." [5]

In the 16th century, art in Denmark was strongly influenced by dynastic connections with northern Germany. Sophie of Mecklenburg, the mother of the king, was herself the daughter of a Danish princess, and the newborn Prince Christian, together with his two older sisters Elisabeth and Anna, had spent the first years of his life in the palace at Güstrow with his grandparents Duke Ulrich and Duchess Elisabeth of Mecklenburg. The older of the two sisters, Elisabeth, married Heinrich Julius of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel; Anna was wed to James VI of Scotland, who ascended the English throne as James I in 1603. A third sister, Hedwig, married the elector Christian II of Saxony, and Christian IV energetically pursued the well-being of his younger brothers as prince-bishops in northern Germany.

In 1595, Christian IV visited Berlin, where negotiations took place for his marriage to Anna Catharina of Brandenburg, a daughter of the margrave Joachim Friedrich, who became elector of Brandenburg in 1598. In addition to the northern German courts visited in his youth, Christian also became acquainted with the English royal palaces and collections during visits to his brother-in-law James I in the years 1606 and 1614.

Christian IV's first important phase of activity as builder and patron extended from the beginning of the 17th century to his entrance into the Thirty Years' War in 1625. During this period, his interest was focused primarily on the Zealand palaces of Kronborg and Frederiksborg as well as the small pleasure palace Rosenborg outside the gates of Copenhagen. The gardens were outfitted with fountains and sculptures, the interior rooms with tapestries and ceiling decorations. At the same time, the palace churches were supplied with precious furnishings such as the silver altar at Frederiksborg, which has survived to the present. The halls and chambers throughout the palaces were decorated with rich wood carvings and furnished with stone fireplaces, chandeliers, and objects of exquisite craftsmanship in fine wood, ivory, and tortoise-shell, as well as other exotic objects.

Christian IV's extraordinary significance as a collector and patron, equal to that of other European rulers, has not heretofore received sufficient attention. One reason for this is that many of the works originally located in his palaces and churches have been lost, making it difficult to reconstruct the original furnishings with their wealth of paintings, sculptures, and wood carvings. Our knowledge of the collections of Christian IV is based primarily on two sources: a list of the art works acquired in the Netherlands in 1607-08 by the diplomat Jonas Charisius, and the inventory of the palace Frederiksborg from the year 1636, supplemented by a survey of the holdings of the collection from 1650. [6]

The Frederiksborg list names over 450 paintings, although, as was usual in inventories of the period, artists' names are seldom mentioned. Most of these works were carried off as war booty by the Swedes in 1659 and divided up among the Swedish king and his generals. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify some of the works from Denmark in Swedish collections. A list in the Rigsarkivet in Copenhagen informs us that in 1659, very few paintings were left at Frederiksborg. It would be an interesting art historical project to document the remnants of Danish collections in Swedish possession.

But even the works of art left behind by Swedish troops in Denmark seldom enjoyed a better fate. Fires in the Danish palaces gradually destroyed most of the pieces from the collections of Christian IV, together with the costly decorations of the apartments and halls of his palaces. A life-size equestrian portrait of the king, for example, was destroyed when the palace at Christiansborg burned down in 1794, while tapestries, furniture, and the national portrait collection at Frederiksborg went up in flames in 1859. As late as 1884, a fire at the classicistic Christiansborg destroyed paintings from the collections of Christian IV, including pictures from the Great Hall at Rosenborg.

The first major, documented purchases of foreign art under Christian IV are found in Jonas Charisius' survey of his acquisitions of 1607-08 in the Netherlands. During his participation in the peace negotiations at The Hague, Charisius acquired around 150 Dutch and Flemish paintings as well as musical instruments for the king's use. Many of these were bought on the art market in Delft; in the search for works of high quality, however, he also turned directly to painters and art dealers such as Pieter Isaacsz., mentioned for the first time in connection with purchases by the Danish king. From him, Charisius acquired "Jncendium Romae zu zeit Neronis" (The Burning of Rome at the Time of Nero); from "Valkenberg," a member of the artist family Valckenborch, "ij stuck De bello Amazonum" (The War of the Amazons); from Aert Pietersz., works including "j stuck banckett gross auff tuch" (a banquet scene on canvas) and "j stuck of pannell, Conuersio S: Pauli" (a panel painting of the Conversion of St. Paul); and from Otto van Veen, an "Erscheinung Christi im garten, ein langhafft stuck vf thuck" (Christ in the Garden, on canvas) sowie "j tuckische Löwenjagtt" (Lion Hunt). [7]

Also included among the artists' names in Charisius' list are Frans Floris and Frans Francken. A work entitled "A Monk with a Nun" by a "Master Cornelio of Haarlem" likely resembled a painting by Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem now in the Frans Hals Museum. The collection at Frederiksborg probably included Pieter Aertsen's famous painting of a "Butcher's Stall," now held in the art collections of the University of Uppsala. The Frederiksborg inventory of 1636 provides the following description:

"j St[o/]cke met Atschillige Slagterie, Samt fisk och fuell, Som er Mallet aff Enn Wed Naffn, Lange Pier, aff Holland, I en forgylt Ramme, som nu findiss i den Lange gang till Sallen offuer Mynten" ("1 work with various pieces of meat as well as fish and fowl, painted by someone by the name of Lange Pier, of Holland, in a gilded frame, now located in the long corridor to the Hall above the coins"). [8]

"Den 12. zu Brixen ankommen, alda mit Hansz Reichle vereinigett, dasz er sich ehestes hier nach Coppenhagen begebn vnd nach Kön.May. anordnung ein brun wie auch andere künstliche sachen machen soll" ("arrived in Brixen on the 12th, and there arranged with Hansz Reichle that he should first go from here to Copenhagen and in accordance with to His Royal Majesty's instructions make a fountain and other artful things").

"Esz soll ietzbemelter vnser Münzmeister, sobald er zu Prage angelangt, sich zu Adrian de Frysz, ehister gelegenheit verfügen vnd mit ihme Contrahirn, dasz er den Brunnen alhie, mit possieren vnd Giessen verfertigen solle, dafür er ihme 5000 Taler zusagen mag, jedoch dessen bedings, sich mit seinem Volgk anhero ins Reich, selbst zubegeben ...." [13]

"Von keyserlicher May. bildhawer kaufft ein liegendt bilde von gegossenem Marmor, kost 125 Rd / Jupiter in gestalt eines ochsen, wie er die europam übers wasser führet, für 54 Rd. / Ein sitzendt weiblein für 10 Rd. / Noch ein sitzendt weiblein, so sich kemmet, für 8 Rd. / Ein gemalt grosz quater von Corosia Piazentino, ist schön, die drey Magi de oriente für 1000 Rd." [14]

"Noch folgende wachs bilder, so ich zu Dresden bekommen. / Ein gross alt man nackent. / Ein weiblein sitzendt mit dem spiegel, darzu einem Mercurius von Johan Polongia. / Ein Crucifix mit 2 schecker, auch Johannis und Maria dabey. Ein Centaurum mit dem weible / Ein liegendt weiblein mitt dem Satyra / Ein stehendt Hercules, alles von Polongia / Für dieses alles bezahlt 100 Rd". [15]

"Man hat uns erstlich das Schlosz sehen lassen, ein schönes gebeüde ganz quadrat vnd mit schönen gemächern ansehlich geziert, sonderlich aber hat es darinnen einen schönen langen Saal von 101 Schritten vnd 25 breit, mit zwey Alabastern vnd Marmelsteienern Caminen. ueber vnd neben den fenstern stehen in der höhe hübsche Kriegesthaten angemalet." [19]

"Das lusthaus darinnen ist wol zu sehen, ein fein geben aus gebackenen Steinen augeführet.... Von dar auf einen groszen Saal, so in der Höhe des hauses vnd mit schönen Malwerck, das ganze menschliche leben repräsentierende und figuren von Gyps gegoszen, ausgemacht; dieser Saal ist oben gewölbet vnd ohne Säulen, mit zwey Marmelsteiner Kaminen...." [22]

"Die badstube ist ganz verzinnet einwendig vnd artig gebauwet, mit aller Zugehör vnd Silber badzeug" ("The bath is on the inside entirely tin-plated, and agreeably built, with all accoutrements and silver bathing things") and "ein Indianisch Tragzeug ... fast geformet wie ein Bette, darinnen sie ihre Könige zu tragen pflegen" ("an Indian litter ... formed almost like a bed, wherein they used to carry their kings").

"Dijser gestalt ist miir den 8. Decem: auff dem hausse Rodenburg Morgens friie gezeiget der hon und Spott, so vnser Erlösers und Seelischmacker Christus Jesus vnseredthalben gelitten, beii wierendem Gebet zu Godt führ die nodt der gansen Evangelische kirchen Anno 1625. Christanus IIII D.G. Rex Daniæ et Norvegiae etc. Ma: pro: Sc." [24]

"Wir Christian etc. thuen kundt, Nachdem wir Vnser vor diesem durch eine fewersbrunst sehr beschädigtes vnd verderbtes hauss Croneburg durch göttliche Verleihung wieder reparirt und auffgebawet dass wir anitzo ferner enstschlossen sein, desselben zimmer vnd gemächer mit gemahlten Stücken vnd andern dazu gehörenden zierath Königlich wieder anzurichten vnd auszustaffiren. Weil wir dan zu den gemählten keiner besser argument oder Subiectum gewust, als vnser Vorfahren, der alten Könige von Dännemarck tapfere vnnd Heroische Thaten, als welche von der Vergessenheit errettet werden, sondern auch Vnss und Vnsern Nachkommen, die sie in ihren gemächern hatten, eine krefftige anmahnung geben wurden, denselben nachzufolgen, vnd dieser Cron hohe reputation, die sie zu ihren zeiten durch die ganze Welt ausgebreitet, nicht allein in ihrem Splendore zu erhelten, sondern auch noch weiters zu vermehren; So haben wir mit dem Ehrsamen vnd kunstreichen Vnserm bestelten Kupferstecker vnd lieben getr. Simon de Pass dahin handeln vnd schliessen lassen, dass er vier vnd achtzig Stück von derselben Thaten und Verrichtungen, nach einer schriftlichen Information vnd verzeichnuss, die wir ihm auss den alten geschichtschreibern geben lassen, in klein Format, iedes nach der grösses eines gemeinen Papiers, von den besten, vnd zu solchen Wercken am tüchtigsten Meistern inn den Vereinigten Niederlanden solle zeichnen lassen, welche die Mahler, die wir hernach weiter dazu verordnen würden, dilatiren vnd inss gross bringen künten." [26]

"Damit auch gedachtnuss solcher heldenthaten, dadurch Vnsere Vorfahren dieses Königreichs glori erhalten, vnd die Nachkomlinge propagiret haben, nicht in dem beschluss vnser zimmer verbleiben, sondern menniglich zu Theil werden müchten ..." ("So that the memory of the heroic deeds through which our forefathers preserved the glory of this kingdom and which have instructed their successors may not remain behind the closed doors of our chambers, but may serve for the benefit of many ...").

FOOTNOTES