The Kunstkammer in 1653 'In the innermost Apartment - on the Ground floor - the Roof has been ornamented with yellow Roses on a grey Ground. The Walls have been painted to resemble Stone, with the Pillars as brown Marble and 'round about' as a Gallery. There were two Cabinets which have been painted blue inside; the Shelves in the Room grey with yellow Patterns, Window-frames and Doors have been done in the colour of verdigris, and above the one Cabinet has been mounted Frederik III's crowned Monogram with multi-coloured Distemper in 'a Compargiment'. The great 'Logement' has been decorated with geometric Figures in 'a new pattern'. Both Ceiling and Walls have been ornamented with Circles, Ovals, Lozenges and Octagons in motley Colours. The Panels were done in blue and decorated with Roses. In the Circle in the centre of the Ceiling was painted a Floral Wreath with all Sorts of Colours; the Arcs around were painted grey on grey with 'Caprice-heads' (Fantastic or Grotesque heads). In each Arc were placed Arms of the King's Provinces in motley Colours, on the End-walls were painted 'the four Seasons of Flowers and Fruit in a new Manner, with their Pedestals in the Nature of Stone, and at the upper End, in the Italian Manner, painted grey on grey and with other Colours, the King's Monogram in 'a Compargiment' with Palm leaves and Cornucopia'. On the longitudinal wall have been painted in motley Colours after a new Manner the five Senses in Pictorial Likeness with Pedestals and other Accoutrements; below these the Wall was painted grey on grey, with Mouldings between the Pedestals. On each Mullion was represented a Pillar of Marble, rendered in the Nature of Stone. Here once more two Cabinets were painted blue inside, and the Window-frames and Doors verdigris with white Fittings. In a small Chamber alongside this, the Walls were cinnabar red with golden yellow Bordering, two Window-frames over the Doors blue and the others green; the Ceiling was painted with Flowers and Fruit. In addition an outermost great 'Logement' is mentioned, which was painted overall, on Ceiling and Walls, with a blue Ground, and thereafter with large, saffron Flowers. … In the Fall of 1653 - but one half Year later - Villum Hornbolt, doubtless with much Sorrow in his Heart, had to paint all his Artworks over again, so that each Room was given its own uniform Colour. The Great Room, which before was blue, now became green; that which was painted in a 'curious Manner' became blue, the most central cinnabar red, and the innermost, which before was 'painted in the Nature of Stone', now became aurum yellow. The Rooms in the Half-timbered construction above have hardly been Objects of artistic Ornamentation with the exception of the octagonal Chamber, which was probably the Cabinet of Medals. Here there were Columns with Capitals and Festoons, all carved in Wood. The Windows in the other Rooms were just so numerous and so closely sited that here there was very little Wall-space. In order to reduce the strong Light, 25 removable Frames were made, stretched with Canvas, 'Screens, that were painted as Glass Windows'.' (Quoted from H.C. Bering Liisberg: Kunstkammeret. Dets Stiftelse og ældste Historie. Copenhagen 1897). To next page Purchases for the Kunstkammer To previous page The Kunstkammer at Copenhagen Castle