The Paintings at Bernstorff Palace

Some are 250 years old! Some were finalized yesterday!

Johan Edvard Mandelberg (1730 - 1786)

Artist Soes Brysch (*1943)

Artist Frederik Lindskov (*1976)

You may admire the works of these artists at Bernstorff Palace. This will add an extra dimension to your stay or your conference. We are able to arrange oral introductions to the works and you will also have the chance to meet Soes Brysch at the palace, where she is painting her colourful canvasses almost every day in her studio.

Works of Art dating back to the 1760ies

J.H.E. Bernstorff had an exquisite taste and a sharp eye for quality. Therefore only the most competent and renowned, then-contemporary painters were hired to deliver paintings to Bernstorff Palace.

In the representative salons of the ground floor he hung portraits by Peder Als, Jens Juel and (probably) Louis Tocqué. The empty spaces over the doors were decorated y the Swedish born painter Johan Edvard Mandelberg. Mandelberg’s paintings were parts of the panelling of the rooms, socalled ”overdoors”, which worked as decorative elements just as the wallpaper and fireplace mirrors.

Being almost irremovable the overdoors remained in place, unaffected by fashion fads and the personal preferences of various owners. These paintings by Mandelberg are the only works of art being preserved since the palace was built in 1765.

The overdoors count a total of seventeen paintings. In the chambers facing the garden a selection of topographic scenes are depicted, partly of Copenhagen and surroundings, partly of Bernstorff Palace and the Church of Gentofte.

Those in the oval Garden Room are the most interesting ones from a culture-historical point of view. They show the view of Copenhagen, back when the city limits were drawn by ramparts. Another shows the vibrant traffic in the harbour of Copenhagen.

In the Royal Dining Room “Hvide Sal”, you will find completely different, non-topographic pictures. Here are six symbolic presentations of the pleasures of the table, a gallery of beautiful women, each presenting an opulence of fruits and vegetables. These semi-erotic illustrations will remind the viewer of Mandelberg’s French idol, Francois Boucher, whose gallant pictures were extremely popular in the aristocratic households in the middle of the 18th century.

Mandelbergs paintings enhance the very special ambiance and atmosphere of Bernstorff Palace and they are cherished by both guests and staff members.

Written by Christian Claudio Apostoli, Art Historian – translated by the web administrator

Søs Brysch at Bernstorff Palace

In the main building of the palace modern art and noble decor make a wonderful combo. The light and vibrant paintings of humans and animals, angels and phantasy creations exist in harmony with the palace and its history. The canvasses are nice to look at and easy to fathom at first sight, but beware, they may reveil many secrets. There is hardly a better venue for meetings with the purpose of leading to mutual understanding.

Søs Brysch has created numerous paintings for hospitals, churches, schools, public buildings, the Opera and the Royal Theatre of Copenhagen. Her works are shown in various museums in Rome, Siena and Florence in Italy, in Ephesos in Turkey and she has painted a wall in a town hall in Honduras. In Denmark she has been invited to submit her works to various renowned Danish exhibitions and Art Galleries.

Søs is proud to be the first of many artists to decorate the world famous VIPP pedal bins, which were shown all over the world and even had their own exhibition at the Louvre in Paris.

She has designed wine labels for Italian producer Vigniamaggio in Greve and Mallefugas in France.

Søs Brysch was the first female mason in Denmark, she was later accepted as a student to the Academy of Arts, but instead she preferred to work as a performing artist with a magician. However, after a few years, she returned to painting, attended the Royal Danish Academy of Arts for post graduate courses in wall painting and ceramic works, and last but not least she went to Florence, where she was trained at the Academy of Arts.

See Søs Brysch’s paintings on the 1st and 2nd Floor of the main building.

Painter Frederik Lindskov

The works of painter and artist Frederik Lindskov adorn the original Horse Guards Quarters of Bernstorff Palace.

You will see young, contemporary art, illustrating the clash between country and city in the corridors, the auditorium, the stairways and the rooms

Frederik Lindskov shows the clinch of old oak trees meeting a network of cables and lamps.

Click for more info on Frederiks facebook-profil