video transcript

The largest exhibition of Danish Queen Margrethe II's art. Comprising 135 paintings and decoupage, the show also includes never-before-seen works. SOUNDBITE: Denmark's Queen Margrethe II saying (English): "It's very exciting to be asked to show my work in this particular museum of modern art which has a very good reputation here in Denmark. I felt extremely… honestly I felt truly honoured to be asked." The exhibition also marks the 40th anniversary of the queen's reign, who polls show is the most popular monarch in Europe. Queen Margrethe says Denmark's landscape first inspired her to paint and she's never been tempted to add human figures to her images. SOUNDBITE: Denmark's Queen Margrethe II saying (English): "The person who explores the landscape is the person who will be in the landscape. I mean if you look at it. Certainly that was my own urge when I was painting these landscapes. I was painting landscapes which I wanted to walk into and I didn't want to put in anyone. I didn't want to meet anybody in the landscape." Christian Gether, director of the museum, says the Queen's work is very articulate and proficient but has an added interesting dimension because she is the Queen. SOUNDBITE: Christian Gether, Director of Arken Museum, saying (English): "The visitors should see the works by an artist who is open, who is always in doubt, who is vulnerable, and who shows her paintings as a symbol of a more or less, complicated life as life is for everybody." Queen Margerethe devotes one afternoon a week to working in her studio. She says painting is a way of "recharging" her "batteries". "The Essence of Colour" at Copenhagen's Arken Museum will run until July 1st. Tara Cleary, Reuters.