Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Bilag - IV. Résume du text danois
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
b u le, in w h ic h th e e y e im m e d ia te ly fails u p o n M ad am e A g n e s
S lo tt-M o lle r ’s sem icircu la r, p a in ted lim e sto n e relief, o v e r th e in -
n er d oor, r e p r e se n tin g th e c ity ’s m o st a n c ie n t co u n cil, a m eetin g ,
in th e i3th ce n tu ry , o f a ld erm en p resid ed o v e r b y th e b ish o p ’s
sh eriff; a b o v e , th ere is th e a p o th eg m , a lso a p ro d u ct o f th e a rtist’s
g e n iu s, „S aa er B y so m B orger" i. e. „L ik e C itizen , lik e C ity". T h is
te r se a p h o rism is rep ea ted m a n y tim es, b o th in sid e an d o u tsid e
th e b u ild in g , n o w in full an d n o w in d ica ted b y th e fou r in itial
letters (F ig. 97. 229).
O n th e o n e sid e o f th e v e stib u le is th e en q u iry office, an d on
th e o th er th e m e sse n g e r ’s room . R o u n d th ree sid e s o f th e h all,
w h ic h is en te red from th e v e stib u le , ru n s a c lo se d corrid or w ith
W in d o w s o p e n in g to th e h all. F rom th is corrid or th ere is a c c e s s
to th e o ffices, an d a lso to tw o w in d in g sta ir c a se s w h ic h lea d up
to th e co rrid o rs o f th e first floor, w h ic h co n ta in d o o rs o p e n in g
o n th e b a lc o n ie s (F ig. 233). In th e hall th e w h ite lim e sto n e is
th e p red o m in a n t effect in th e tw o lo w e s t sto r ie s, b u t, a b o v e , th e
b rick w o rk a sse r ts itself, an d th e n in e te e n b o ld g ra n ite c o lu m n s,
from w h ic h sp rin g th e a r c h e s o f th e se c o n d sto ry , c o n stitu te th e
m o st p ro m in en t fea tu res o f th e th ree sid e s th at th e y g ra ce (F ig.
234-40). T h e rem a in in g sid e, th a t o f th e C en tral b u ild in g , is in
th e p rin cip al floor th e a sse m b ly room — m ad e rich b y co lo u r-
in g an d g ild in g . T h e h all, w h ic h is 23,70 m. w id e , 44,25 m. lo n g ,
an d 18,83 m - h eig h t to th e co rn ice, is, in v irtu e o f its ca p a -
c io u s d im e n sio n s, in an em in e n t d eg ree a d a p ted to a c c o m o d a te
a grea t a sse m b la g e o f p e o p le on ce rem o n ia l o c c a sio n s. In th e
lim e sto n e frieze w h ic h d em a rca tes th e first an d se c o n d sto r ie s,
th ere are e a r th e n w a r e in sc r ip tio n s b riefly an d te r se ly r e c o u n tin g
th e p rin cip a l e v e n ts in th e h isto ry o f C o p e n h a g e n (F ig. 275-78).
T h e h all is c o v e r e d b y an iro n w o rk c o n str u c tio n w h ic h ca rries
a n u p p er ro o f o f ro u g h p la te g la ss an d a lo w e r ro o f o f sta in e d
g la ss. A t e a c h sid e o f th e C en tral b u ild in g th ere is a p a ssa g e b y
w h ic h th e p rin cip a l sta ir c a se s are rea ch ed (F ig. 203-5). th e
C en tra l b u ild in g itse lf are tw o sm a ll d o o rs w h ic h lead to th e tw o
w in d in g s ta ir c a se s, b y w h ic h th e sto ry is r e a c h e d , w h e r e are
situ a te d th e m u seu m an d a r c h iv e ro o m s (F ig. 241-44). W h ils t
co m m u n ic a tio n b e tw e e n th e v a r io u s a p a rtm en ts o f th e C ity H a ll
is e a s y an d c o n v e n ie n t th ro u g h o u t, th e ce rem o n ia l ch a m b e r s in
th e fron t b u ild in g , h o w e v e r , lie so m e w h a t apart, an d in ord er to
re a ch th em from th e m ain en tr a n c e, th e h all m u st first b e tr a v -
ersed , an d th e p rin cip a l sta ir c a se a sc e n d e d to th e se c o n d floor;
th is co m p a ra tiv e iso la tio n is th e re su lt o f th e a r c h ite c t’s d elib e -
rate d e sig n to p la ce th e s e a p a rtm en ts in a p o sitio n w h e r e th e y
w o u ld n o t b e a ffected b y th e d a ily b u s in e s s o f th e b u ild in g
(F ig. 249-51).
T h e p illared h all, w ith h igh o a k p a n e ls, b efore th e o ffices, w a s
d e sig n a te d a s a m em o ria l ch a m b er, to co m m em o ra te th e m en an d
w o m e n , w h o , th ro u g h th eir m erits or se r v ic e s, h a v e o c c u p ie d a
p la ce o f h o n o u r in th e h isto r y o f th e city. In th e d o o rs, w h ic h
o p e n on th e sta ir c a se s le a d in g up to th e g a lle r ie s o f th e b a n -
q u e tin g h a ll, are su r p a ssin g ly b ea u tifu l ca rv ed oak reliefs b y
H a ra ld S lo tt-M o lle r , r e p r e se n tin g a m o n k liste n in g sp e llb o u n d
to th e e n c h a n tin g s o n g o f a bird, th u s sy m b o lisin g , in a b eau tifu l
a n d eth e rea l m a n n er, r e le a se from rea lity an d th e c o m m o n p la ce
o f d a ily life (F ig. 252-55).
In th e w in g s, a d ja cen t to th e p rin cip al sta irc a se, are, situ a ted
o p p o site to e a c h o th er, th e a p a rtm en ts o f th e C h airm an o f th e
C o u n c il an d th e C h ie f R e p r e se n ta tiv e ; th e y are oak p a n elled ,
w ith ca rv ed w in d o w se a ts an d coffered c y p r e ss w o o d c e ilin g s
an d are fitted w ith m a h o g a n y fu rn itu re an d silk h a n g in g s; th e
o th er a p a rtm en ts in th e p rin cip a l floor h a v e raftered c e ilin g s. T o
th e tw o a p a rtm e n ts ju st m e n tio n e d th ere are c o n v e n ie n t w a itin g
ro o m s. C lo se b y , in o n e o f th e w in g s, is th e large C o m m ittee room
o f th e C o u n cil, an d , in th e o th er w in g , a c o r r e sp o n d in g ap a rtm en t
u se d a s th e m e e tin g -r o o m o f th e c h ie f re p r e se n ta tiv e ; b o th are
fitted w ith oak fu rn itu re, an d silk h a n g in g s o v e r oak p a n elled
w a lls. F a rth er in th e o n e w in g is th e lib rary, an d , co r resp o n d -
in g ly , in th e o th er w in g , is th e h a n d so m e , b ea u tifu lly fu rn ish ed
m e e tin g ro o m o f th e m a g istra cy . O n o n e sid e o f th e b a n q u etin g
h a ll in th e fron t b u ild in g is th e rea d in g room o f th e C ity H a ll
lib rary, a n d o n th e o th er sid e th e a n te-r o o m to th e m a g istra cy .
T h e w a lls o f th is a p a rtm en t are a d o rn ed w ith ta p estr y d e-
p ictin g s c e n e s in D a n ish leg e n d a r y sto ry , an d w e r e e x e c u te d
after c o lo u r e d d r a w in g s, m ad e b y L o r e n s F ro lich , 50 y e a r s ago,
for an Illu stra ted H isto r y o f D en m a rk (F ig. 256-67).
T h e b a n q u e tin g h a ll is a little o v e r 38,29 m. in len g th , a g o o d
10,67 m - w id e , an d 9,20 m. h igh . It is en tered th ro u g h six m a h o g -
a n y d o o rs in m arb le fram es (F ig. 249. 271); it h a s a p arq u etry floor
o f A m e r ic a n p in e, an d is oak p a n e lle d to a certain h eig h t, a b o v e
w h ic h th e w a lls a p p ea r in w h ite , w a itin g for th e tim e w h e n th e y
sh a ll r e c e iv e a rtistic treatm en t. an d c o n tr ib u te to th e m a jesty o f
th e ch am b er. E a c h o f th e sm a lle r sid e s h a s a g a llery , an d th e
c e ilin g is b u ilt of p in e, p a in ted an d g ild ed . In th e cen tre o f th e
b a ck w a ll th ere is a platform , w ith a b a ck h a n g in g , an d su r-
m o u n ted w ith a ca n o p y , an d u n d er th e c e ilin g th ere is a frieze-
lik e r o w o f p a in ted sh ie ld s b ea rin g th e arm s o f D a n ish p ro v in -
cial to w n s , w h ile a b o v e th e d o o r to th e b a lc o n y are p la ced
sh ie ld s b ea rin g th e arm s o f Icela n d , G reen la n d , th e F a ro e I s -
la n d s, an d th e W e s t In d ia n isla n d , p o s s e s s io n s o f D en m a rk (F ig.
268-72). T h e ch a irs an d sid e b o a r d s are o f ca rv ed oak , p a in ted
an d g ild ed ; on th e latter sta n d a rtic le s o f p o rcela in w a r e m ad e
in th e tw o C o p e n h a g e n P o r c e la in fa cto ries. R e d is th e p r e d o -
m in a n t c o lo u r th ro u g h o u t th e h all, an d th e ch eerfu l effect is
h e ig h te n e d b y b o u n te o u s g ild in g a n d w a v in g b a n n ers.
In its c o n str u c tio n th e C ity H a ll is e s s e n tia lly n a tio n a l, a s
th e b u ild in g m aterials, su c h a s b rick , g ran ite from B o r n h o lm ,
an d lim e sto n e are h o m e p ro d u cts, w h ils t th e u n d erta k in g itse lf
h a s rea cted b e n e fic ia lly on D a n ish h an d icraft; th e b e st m a teria ls
h a v e in n o c a se b e e n to o g o o d , an d , th ro u g h o u t, th e m e c h a n ic a l
an d a rtistic w o r k h a s b e e n e x e c u te d in th e b e st m a n n er w ith
th e n o b le st spirit.
W ith p a rd o n a b le p rid e in sc r ip tio n s on th e p o w erfu l tr a v erse
b ea m s in th e C o u n cil ch a m b er record th e faet th a t th e y h a v e
b e e n m ad e from th e tru n k s o f fir trees, g r o w n in a park (D y r e -
h a v e n ) n o t far from C o p e n h a g e n , an d th e a rtist h im se lf ta k es
p rid e in p o in tin g o u t th at th e n in e te e n im p o sin g sh a fts o f th e
c o lu m n s in th e se c o n d sto r y o f th e h all, w e r e g r o w n in th e
flat co u n tr y o f D en m a rk .
T h e e n d e a v o u r o f th e c o n stru cto r in th e ca rry in g o u t o f th e
p la n h a s b e e n to fa sh io n e v e r y e sse n tia l c o n str u c tiv e featu re in
su c h m a n n er th a t its m e a n in g sh o u ld b e a p p a ren t to e v e r y b e -
h o ld er, an d it h a s b e e n n o in sig n ific a n t ta sk for h im to d e v ise th at
su c h c o n str u c tiv e an d d e co r a tiv e e s se n tia ls sh o u ld in d e p e n d e n tly
a sse r t th e m s e lv e s a c c o r d in g to th eir im p o rta n ce. In n o r e sp e c t
h a s th ere b e e n a ca d em ic fa llin g b ack u p o n c o n v e n tio n a l an d
h a c k n ie d c la ssic a l or r e n a issa n c e form s. A s a w h o le an d in its
d eta ils th e C ity H a ll o f C o p e n h a g e n sh o u ld p ro cla im its m issio n ,
in its o w n la n g u a g e.
T h e id e a ls an d o b jects o f th e c o n str u c to r h a v e b e e n carried
o u t w ith s u c c e s s b y th e sc u lp to r s an d d e co r a tiv e a rtists w h o
h a v e w o r k e d u n d er him . E v e r y o n e w ill u n d er sta n d , w ith w h a t
p ro fo u n d m e a n in g th e large g o ld e n effig y o f th e fo u n d er o f th e
city h a s b e e n p la ced in th e m o st p ro m in en t p o sitio n in th e p rin -
cip al facad e o v e r th e b a lc o n y , from w h ic h p eo p le a sse m b le d in
fron t o f th e C ity H a ll can b e a d d r e sse d o n so le m n o c c a sio n s:
a s if th e gu a rd ia n sp irit o f th e grea t p rela te w e r e e v e r p resen t.
A ll th e d eco r a tio n s o f th e b u ild in g h a v e a sim ila r sp irit. A t th e
co rn ers o f th e rear facad e sta n d th e fig u res o f a c o n sta b le an d a
firem an , em b lem a tic o f O rd er an d V ig ila n c e , an d o n th e ro o f o f
th e fron t fa ca d e are six w a tc h m e n , w h ilst th e fig u res o f ic e -b e a r s,
h ig h a b o v e , ty p ify G reen la n d , o n e o f D e n m a r k ’s p o s s e s s io n s . B y
th e en tra n ce to th e D ep a rtm en t o f th e G u a rd ia n s of th e P oor is
a group r e p r e se n tin g fod d erin g d eer; o v er th e door to th e o ffices
w h e r e O ld -a g e R e lie f is d isp e n se d , is a h en sp r e a d in g h er pro-
te e tin g w in g s o v er h er c h ic k e n s (F ig. 181-86); on th e „ T o w n sm e n
S ta ir c a se " , th e cra ftsm en w h o h a v e erected th e C ity ’s p rin cip a
b u ild in g ; in th e p a ssa g e s an d corridors are d eco ra tiv e p a in tin g s,
th e m o tiv e s of w h ic h are ta k en from s e a w e e d an d th e lo w er m a -
rin e a n im a ls, rem in d in g th e sp ecta to r th a t D en m a rk is a m aritim e
k in gd om , an d b rin g in g , — a s th e b u ild er on on e o cca sio n w ro te —
„th e ta ste of th e s e a -s a lt to th e lips" (F ig. 142-46). F orm in g a part
of th e sc h e m e of d ecoration , b u t of a d ifferen t order, are in sc r ip -
tion s, c o n sistin g p artly of te r se a p h o rism s, an d p artly of fam iliar
n a m e s, for, a s th e b u ild er h old s, th e en d of D ecoration is n ot to
p ie a se th e e y e a lon e, b u t a lso to a p p ea l to th e th o u g h t a n d fe e lin g
of th e sp ecta to r. T h e frieze in sc rip tio n s in th e h a ll ran k a m o n g st
th e m ost b ea u tifu l of th is c la ss of orn am en tation .
In colour, in form , a n d in w r itte n m e ssa g e , th e d eco r a tio n o f
th e C ity H a ll, u p on w h ic h so m u eh th o u g h t an d so m u eh care
h a s b e e n e x p e n d e d , is p o p u la r in th e h ig h e st s e n s e ; it c a p tiv a te s
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
