Heavens to Sophie Amalie

Ceiling Panel by Abraham Wucherts, mid-17th century,Christian IV’s Bedroom, Rosenborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark

Three ceiling paintings in “Christian IV’s Bedroom” in Rosenborg Palace depict the gods of earth, the heavens and the oceans. The center panel shows Hera, Queen of the Gods, and and her husband Zeus on Mount Olympus.  The nude figure of Hera is said to resemble Queen Sophie Amalie,  wife of Frederik III, King of Denmark-Norway. Frederick (ruled 1648-1670) and Sophie Amalie used the bedroom after his father, Christian IV, died in 1648. Tradition says that Sophie Amalie, a beautiful and power hungry queen, actually posed for the painting. The painting was added to the Baroque stucco ceiling, which was installed in the 1630’s under Christian IV, in the mid-17th century. Abraham Wuchters, a Dutch painter in the Danish court, painted the central panel.

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