Banquet
A modern interpretation of Christian IV's tablecloth
When Christian IV invited guests to dinner at Rosenborg Castle in the 1620s, the table was set with a special table cloth that would be the focal point of the meal and the festivities. The tablecloth featured motifs of elements that were typical of a Renaissance feast and, not least, an interwoven Christian IV monogram. Now Georg Jensen Damask is launching a modern interpretation of the historic tablecloth in the colours Pale Yellow and Soft Rose. The banquet tablecloth is photographed at Rosenborg Castle.
Set thetable with Banquet
When Christian IV invited guests to dinner at Rosenborg Castle in the 1620s, the table was set with a special table cloth that would be the focal point of the meal and the festivities. Exclusively and in collaboration with the Royal Collection, Georg Jensen Damask has been allowed to work with the cultural-historical pattern on the tablecloth, and the result is a modern interpretation with a respectful nod to the original.
The banquet tablecloth is photographed at Rosenborg Castle.
"When design holds a part of our history, it helps us to feel rooted and gives us an understanding of our heritage, as well as the society and the world that we live in, and the Kingdom that we are a part of." says Jesper Munk Andersen, curator at the Royal Danish Collection.
The inspiration for the Banquet design is a damask tablecloth from the Royal Collection's textile storage, originally woven at Christian IV's Silk Mill in Copenhagen. The motifs on the new tablecloth comprise elements typical of a Renaissance feast, just like Christian IV's original tablecloth. Knives and forks, platters of lobster, sturgeon, carp, pheasant, confectionery, fruit and nuts are placed in an orderly jumble. The motifs include the peacock dish and an interwoven Christian IV monogram as a historical reference.
The idea for the new damask design is to create an elegant and informal atmosphere for special occasions and shared meals, just like the original. To complement the elegant damask-woven tablecloth in Pale Yellow and Soft Rose, the Banquet collection includes linen napkins with fine embroidery of fish, lemon, lobster and hazelnut, and damask-woven tea towels with Renaissance motifs in four colours.