“The Life of Christ, Part II,” Tambuli, May 1991, 32
The Life of Christ,
Part II
Paintings by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–90)
In last month’s issue, we introduced this two-part article on scenes from the life of the Savior, depicted by Danish artist Carl Heinrich Bloch. In this second part, we reproduce a further selection of Bloch’s work and trace the life of this highly skilled artist.
The scenes depicted, of course, are from the imagination and skill of Bloch, a merchant’s son who as a boy prepared to be a midshipman. By his early teenage years, however, Carl’s artistic talents began to develop. So, in 1849, at age fifteen, he began attending Copenhagen’s Academy of Art. At age twenty, he was exhibiting his work, and at twenty-five, he went to Rome on a travel grant, where he stayed until 1865.
There, he was influenced by the work of the Italian masters, and he began concentrating on painting scenes of great events. Eventually, he centered his focus on Danish historical events and stories of the Bible. It was a decision that would earn him great stature in Denmark throughout his career. At his life’s end, he had served as head of the Royal Academy of Art and had been honored by several nations for his work.
Toward the end of his Italian studies—three years before he married a beautiful and kind girl, Alma Trepka, with whom he had eight children—31-year-old Carl Bloch received an impressive commission. He was to paint twenty-three new paintings for the rebuilt Frederiksborg Castle church oratory, which had been ravaged in an 1859 fire. Bloch worked on the paintings for the next fourteen years. For Danish art connoisseurs, Carl’s style in the scenes was both modern and unique, and the scenery was reminiscent of life as he had seen it in Italy.
In addition to these twenty-three paintings on the life of Christ, Bloch also did at least eight large altarpieces on the Lord’s life for other Danish and Swedish churches. In the last two decades of his career, he cultivated etching skills, and his work was in great demand—so much so that two years before his death, a Dane wrote: Bloch has “won esteem as an outstanding painter-etcher of his time.”
For all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, however, it is the art of the Savior that we cherish. In Carl Bloch’s work we see the spirit of that which John the Beloved wrote of Jesus:
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. …
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:4–5, 11–12).—The Editors
“Jesus … leadeth [Peter, James, and John] up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. … And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus” (Mark 9:2, 4).
“As Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. … He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. … He went … and came seeing” (John 9:1, 6–7).
“He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes” (John 11:43–44).
“Then were there brought unto him little children, … and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:13–14).
“He said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:15–16).
“The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered … how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61–62).
“Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished … said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:28, 30).
“Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes. … Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and … a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus” (John 19:40–42).
“Then saith he to Thomas, … behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God” (John 20:27–28). (“The Doubtful Thomas”/Super Stock.)
Paintings by Carl Heinrich Bloch