April 4, 2013:
the angle is MY photographic error -- building is not lopsided in real life
The Danske Bank in Copenhagen is housed in a former 18th century palace. Two former palaces, actually....and that street running to the left of the building used to be WATER. It's still called "Holmen's Kanal" in fact.
The bank also has a lot of Art.
SO MUCH ART, that there is a man employed by the bank solely to catalog, manage & curate the collections, which are spread out all across the country, in over 500 Danske Bank locations.
He was the perfect tour guide. As we walked from one part of the bank, into the connecting building, he said:
"Ladies, we will now descend a staircase and at the same time, descend 200 years in time."
I'm pretty sure everyone swooned at least a little over that. I know I did. :-)
This one is a painting by P.S. Krøyer who is a pretty big deal in Danish Art. There are museums & galleries in Denmark devoted to him and his work.
I *think* this painting is of a Victorian Danske Bank Manager, actually. :-)
But, it wasn't just a collection of paintings -- the buildings are also part of what the Curator holds:
the interiors....
the ceilings....
the furnishings....
I can't even begin to tell you how much I like these small windows into the painted past!
...the layers of paint, the layers of history, from when the buildings had been homes.
china.....when it came for the 1st time to Copenhagen, from China
I loved every moment of this tour. Especially how he explained that he frequently sells and purchases pieces through the local Auction House, Bruun Rasmussen, here in Copenhagen. That was just the final point for me in deciding that this man has the best job in Denmark.
a 19th century villa out near where we live
He heartily agreed, when I suggested as much to him.
And just to make it completely perfect:
there were finger sandwiches and glasses of wine for us at the end. Candles, even. What is not to love about this place? :-)
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