Glyptoteket

There is a certain grandeur to Copenhagen that sets it apart from other capitals in Northern Europe. The palaces are statelier, the facades more lavish, and the atmosphere more opulent, perhaps because it is closer to continental Europe than Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. The inspiration from Berlin, Brussels and Paris is evident, as is the fact that Copenhagen for centuries has been a wealthy and culturally influential capital. 

Brewer Carl Jacobsen, a 19th century magnate and Denmark’s greatest art patron, founded Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek to share his collection with the public. Using the profits generated by his brewery, he had built an extensive collection of art and cultural artefacts. The collection holds over 10,000 works, primarily divided between ancient antiquities and Danish and French sculpture and painting from the 19th century. 

Jacobsen was seen as somewhat conservative by art critics of his time, as he preferred to collect artworks that were traditionally and conventionally beautiful, rather than invest in avant garde art. But he was convinced that a museum visitor shouldn’t be overburdened with scholarly theories or abstract thinking, but that art should be beautiful and add to a person’s quality of life. This is reflected also in the architecture of the Glypotek.

The first space is a large space with palm trees, ponds, and a café, a winter garden for locals to meet for coffee and a chat. Jacobsen wanted this room to be an oasis for the visitor, a contrast to the urban environment outside, especially during the cold Danish winters. As Jacobsen said, when the garden opened in 1906: “I hope that in the winter the greenery can draw people in, and when the see the palms maybe they will also give some thought to the statues.” 

Architecturally, the building is a collage of different styles. Initially, it was designed to be a daylight museum, as Jacobsen thought that art was best viewed in natural light. Later, artificial lighting was added, but daylight is still an important component in the building’s structure.

The winter garden is covered with a large glass roof. The older building has been joined by a contemporary wing, designed by Henning Larsen, built to protect delicate paintings from sunlight exposure. However, the impressive staircase of the new wing has been designed to place emphasis on natural light, a celebration of the Glyptotek’s original idea of the importance of sunlight when viewing artworks. 

Glyptoteket