The movement was a reaction to the older generation's glorification of moral philosophy, with its inherent dominance of reason and empirically based science. In contrast, the Romantics based their philosophy on divinely inspired genius, focussing on the dramatic and the emotional.

The natural philosophy of Romanticism came to dominate across the fields of literature, art and science, and the concept of one omniscient unifying being pervading the entire universe came to influence the entire Golden Age.

During the same period Denmark faced a series of disasters. After the English attack at the Battle of Reden in 1801, and the bombardment of Copenhagen and loss of the Danish navy in 1807, Denmark abandoned neutrality to form an alliance with France.

Romanticism

When the young Adam Oehlenschläger (1779-1850) met the scientist Henrich Steffens (1773-1845) in 1802 at Drejer's Club a new world opened before him. Steffens had just been in Jena, Germany and recounted with enthusiasm the new Romantic philosophy of nature.

Romanticism represented a break with the strict formal rules of classicism, which were replaced by limitless poetic and imaginative freedom. Within this philosophy of organic holism, with its acknowledgement of the divinity of nature, history and art, Oehlenschläger's talent found its release.

For Oehlenschläger, Romanticism represented a break with traditional poetry. His debut collection, Digte 1803 , marked the renewal of narrative poetry in Denmark. The collection included an epic, lyrical and dramatic section, thus representing universal poetry. The poem Guldhornene became a manifesto poem for Romanticism in Denmark.

In 1810 Oehlenschläger was awarded a professorship in aesthetics at Copenhagen University, and although he continued to write throughout his life, including a wealth of Nordic tragedies and dramas, it is for his earliest works which were pioneering and came to influence an entire literary epoch that he is remembered.

Hauch's Physics Cabinet

One of the most eminent officers of the absolute monarchy was the Lord Chamberlain Adam W. Hauch (1755-1838). As well as holding this high position Hauch was also an outstanding scientist. In 1786 he abandoned his former military career to devote himself entirely to physics and chemistry.

During a three-year study tour overseas Hauch made the acquaintance of the leading scientists of the day. He studied their collections of scientific instruments, which inspired him to build his own laboratory on his return to Denmark in 1789 - his 'Physics Cabinet'. During the same period he also wrote textbooks and published his research findings.

Upon his appointment as Lord Chamberlain in 1798 he became director of both The Royal Library and The Royal Theatre. He was also responsible for the administration of the royal kunstkammer. In 1825, at his request, this cultural, art and natural history collection was divided into a number of special collections. Hauch thus became one of the pioneers of modern museum history.

In 1815, due to financial difficulties, Hauch sold his unique scientific instrument collection to Frederik VI - but on extremely favourable terms, one of the conditions being that the collection was to remain in Hauch's residence. The collection was, however, donated to Sorø Academy in 1827, where it can still be seen today.

A Changed Landscape - The Forest Preservation Bill of 1805

The agricultural reforms of the late 1700s were mirrored by massive changes in forestry. One forestry bill followed the other, and whereas forestry had previously been an integral part of farming the two now became separate industries.

The move away from the traditional communal system of agriculture had a marked effect on forestry. Forest areas were now legally designated as forests - in perpetuity. Prior to the new forest reforms farmers had been entitled to graze their stock in the forests, as well as to collect firewood and brushwood for fencing.

After the forestry bill of 1805 the forests were fenced in with stone walls and only wild boars retained the freedom to roam after beechnuts. As compensation for the grazing rights thus lost farmers were given land. During this period the landscape underwent a change of character. Contrasts emerged between the even contours of the newly enclosed forests, which had formerly been more widespread though less dense, and arable land which became more open.

One of the main figures behind organised forestry in Denmark was the German forester Johann Georg von Langen, who introduced a number of new tree species like larch, common spruce and silver fir to Denmark. These young pine forests spread rapidly throughout the Danish landscape, but were rarely depicted in the landscape paintings of the Golden Age as the nationally spirited artists of the period didn't consider them to be typically Danish.

Kamma Rahbek's Romantic Garden

In the field of landscape gardening England was the main source of romantic inspiration. Here, natural gardens with winding paths and huge trees replaced the straight lines, symmetrical designs and manicured hedges of the French baroque.

In Denmark, Søndermarken Park was re-laid in the English style as early as 1785-88. Later, in 1798-1802, Frederiksborg Gardens followed suit. Bakkehuset was close to Søndermarken, and it was here that Kamma Rahbek cultivated her romantic garden.

In 1798 she married Bakkehuset's resident, the man of letters Knud Lyne Rahbek. The couple lived here until their respective deaths in 1829 and 1830.

Bakkehuset hosted a salon for a circle of aesthetes, men of letters and botanists. Among them was the poet Oehlenschläger, who was engaged to Kamma's sister. Kamma Rahbek developed close friendships with other gardeners and botanists, with whom she exchanged experience and plants. Not least amongst these gardening friends was F.L. Holbøll, head gardener at the Botanical Gardens.

From their letters we know, for example, that Holbøll begged Kamma Rahbek for daisies as border plants for the Botanical Gardens. In exchange she received cuttings of new and rare plants, which she cultivated with enthusiasm. She was scientific in her approach, and was only to be found in her garden when working. Romantic visions were something she left to Bakkehuset's guests.

Karl Ludwig Giesecke's Greenland Expedition

Between 1806 and 1813 the royal Prussian mineral expert Karl Ludwig Giesecke undertook an expedition to map the geology of Greenland. The year before Giesecke had travelled to the Faroe Islands to collect minerals. The expeditions were funded by The Royal Greenland and Faroe Trade Commissions.

Giesecke's career was highly unusual. He studied law and mineralogy in Germany, worked as both a mineral collector and trader, performed as an actor for a number of years, and upon his death was Professor of Mineralogy at Dublin University.

Between 1790 and 1804 he lived in Vienna, where he wrote opera lyrics and acted. At the première of Mozart's Magic Flute at the Weidner Theatre in 1971 Giesecke had the role of the first slave. There are even theories which claim Giesecke, not Emanuel Schikaneder, to be the composer of The Magic Flute's libretto.

Giesecke was forced to stay in Greenland for seven years because of the English Wars. The selfsame wars cut off supplies from Denmark, which meant Giesecke often worked under extreme conditions. He was one of the pioneers of geological exploration in Greenland. Prior to his expedition there were 30-40 known minerals in Greenland, a number which doubled upon his return to Denmark.

In 1806 something very unusual happened on Rosenborg Castle's drill ground. The Belgian balloonist, Etienne Gaspard Robertson, alighted in his balloon and flew all the way to the county of Roskilde. The ascent was attended by the royal family, in the company of 50,000 Copenhagen locals.

In 1783 the Montgolfier brothers had sent the first large hot-air balloon into the skies above the Palace of Versailles. Their successful flight was soon followed by many more. Robertson made his sensational conquest of the skies into a career, and also conducted a series of meteorological investigations of the higher strata.

The man who organised Robertson's balloon ascent above the gaping crowd was no less than the Lord Chamberlain, A.W. Hauch. Hauch was fascinated by new and experimental phenomena, and was well aware of the entertainment value of such an event.

One of the spectators upon whom Robertson's ascent made a lasting impression was the physicist H.C. Ørsted. Inspired by the experience, he began to write the poetry series Luftskibet (Airship), a work he first completed thirty years later. Through his poetry, Ørsted was able to build a bridge between the world of science and the world of poetry.