The Panels

Paintings with motifs from the night

When Augusta and Christen Scheel create their lavish home at Gammel Estrup, they employ the Holsteinian painter Christian Ulrik Milan to decorate several sets of panels at the manor. The Red Bedroom is where the countess sleeps, and the motifs here are all associated with nighttime.

In the 18th century, the night is regarded as something dark and threatening from which protection is needed. This is reflected in the two brawny guards painted on the door to the bedchamber, symbolically protecting the room from the dangers of the night. This symbolic protection is also present in the window recess where every painted person carries a shield.