The Mirror Cabinet (room 13A)
The Mirror Cabinet here at Rosenborg Castle is a fascinating example of the opulent style and luxury of the Baroque period – and Frederick IV's whimsical fancies.
Surrounded by mirrors
With the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles as a model
The small mirror cabinet was originally made for Christian V in the years 1684-87. But it was not until 1705 that Frederick IV added the parquet floor with the inlaid mirror, so that there were now mirrors not only on the walls and ceiling but also on part of the floor.
The model was the mirror cabinet at Versailles in France, the summer residence of the French Louis XIV since 1682. In this period - also called the Baroque (ca. 1660-1740) - many castles throughout Europe had a mirror cabinet as the innermost and most intimate part of the king's suite, often in connection with the bedroom. Of course, the Danish king also had to have such a cabinet, albeit in a significantly smaller size than the French model at Versailles.
The Mirror Cabinet under Frederick IV
Frederick IV's bedroom was on the ground floor, in the room we today call The Dark Room, and from there he had direct access to the Mirror Cabinet via the tower's spiral staircase. If you look closely, you can see the built-in hidden doors on each side of the Mirror Cabinet when you stand inside.
Mirror cabinets were extremely extravagant at the time, when mirrors were incredibly expensive. It was therefore quite extraordinary to be able to see oneself reflected in both the ceiling, walls, and the oval mirror on the floor. The latter was probably especially intended for female guests. When the mirror cabinet was established, it was the height of fashion to wear large fishbone skirts that puffed the dresses out a lot - the mirrors on the floor therefore provided a very good view of what the women were wearing under the large skirts. Which was probably not accidental.
It should also be mentioned here that Frederick IV very conveniently had a divan and his collection of erotica in a small side room to the mirror cabinet - an obvious opportunity for a little so-called shepherd's hour with a young lady.
Objects in the room
If you are physically at the museum, you can admire the outstanding objects and read more about them below.
Please note that these descriptions are brief and often without images. They serve as an additional resource for those who wish to gain more knowledge about each object, such as who created them, their origin, and significance.