A new exhibition reclaims the legacy of Countess Danner — a former ballerina turned royal consort and a women’s rights pioneer — exploring her defiant journey, her controversial marriage, and her enduring impact on Danish society.
By Lea Monrad Post
Countess Danner—once scorned, now remembered—as the woman who dared to shape her own destiny. Credits: Lea Monrad Post.
At Frederiksborg Castle north off Copenhagen an exhibition that open on May 1st casts a nuanced and long-overdue light on Countess Danner – the woman who rose from illegitimacy and the theatre stage to marry King Frederik VII and founded the Danner Shelter for women in need. In a time when women were rarely allowed to define their own roles, Louise Rasmussen stepped forward – both scorned and admired for her unorthodox path.
The exhibition, “DANNER of Denmark – A Shaper of Modern Denmark”, takes visitors through her dramatic life via personal letters, satirical drawings from the period, and original artefacts. Showcasing all her life from the highs to the lows, the intimate and personal to the public scrutiny and the heart she had for her country.
Modern portraits of Countess Danner and King Frederik VII—reimagining a royal couple who defied convention and left a lasting mark on Danish history. Credit: Lea Monrad Post.
“But of course it’s about time,” says Birthe Eriksen, a retired schoolteacher and former member of the Danish Redstocking Movement, that came to Frederiksborg to witness the exhibition about Danner.
“It’s only right that we honour and respect such an important woman in our history. She deserves her place, not just for what she meant to her own time, but for everything she helped shape in ours.” Birthe Eriksen adds.
Sculptor Kirsten Justesen crafting the four-meter bronze monument of Countess Danner, unveiled in November 2024 near the Lakes in Copenhagen. Credits: Lea Monrad Post
The monument stands as a tribute to a woman who defied the norms of her time and paved the way for other women by being ahead of her era. It symbolizes her significance in women’s emancipation, social awareness, and social mobility. Credits: Lea Monrad Post.
Countess Danner—pioneer of women’s rights—whose legacy inspired the Redstocking Movement’s 1979 occupation of Dannerhuset, transforming it into a women’s shelter. Credits: Lea Monrad Post.
But the exhibition is more than a portrait. It is a reflection on how we remember – and often forget – those who challenged social norms. With subtlety and precision, the curators balance the personal and the political, the ridiculed and the dignified. Danner was neither queen nor saint – but a woman who insisted on her place in history. And now, at last, she claims it.
The exhibition runs through November.
‘Danner of Denmark’ at Frederiksborg Castle, on view from May 1 to November 16, 2025. Credits: Lea Monrad Post