Carl Bloch

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Carl Heinrich Bloch
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Carl Bloch
Royal Danish Academy of Art
Notable workIn a Roman Osteria
PartnerAlma Trepka (died in 1886)
Websitewww.carlbloch.org

Carl Heinrich Bloch (Danish pronunciation: [ˈkʰɑːˀl ˈplɒk]; 23 May 1834 – 22 February 1890) was a Danish artist.

Biography

In a Roman Osteria, 1866
Samson in the Treadmill

He was born in

Royal Danish Academy of Art (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) under Wilhelm Marstrand. Bloch's parents wanted their son to enter what they considered to be a respectable profession – an officer in the Navy. This, however, was not what he wanted. His only interest was drawing and painting, and he was consumed by the idea of becoming an artist. He went to Italy to study art, passing through the Netherlands, where he became acquainted with the work of Rembrandt, which became a major influence on him.[1] Bloch met his wife, Alma Trepka, in Rome
, where he married her on 31 May 1868. They were happily married until her early death in 1886.

His early work featured rural scenes from everyday life. From 1859 to 1866, Bloch lived in Italy, and this period was important for the development of his historical style.

His first great success was the exhibition of his "Prometheus Unbound" in Copenhagen in 1865. After the death of Marstrand, he finished the decoration of the ceremonial hall at the University of Copenhagen. The sorrow over losing his wife weighed heavily on Bloch, and being left alone with their eight children after her death was very difficult for him.

In a New Year's letter from 1866 to Bloch, H. C. Andersen wrote the following: "What God has arched on solid rock will not be swept away!" Another letter from Andersen declared "Through your art you add a new step to your Jacob-ladder into immortality."

In a final ode, from a famous author to a famous artist, H.C. Andersen said "Write on the canvas; write your seal on immortality. Then you will become noble here on earth."

He was then commissioned to produce 23 paintings for the King's Chapel at

Christ which have become very popular as illustrations. The originals, painted between 1865 and 1879, are still at Frederiksborg Palace. The altarpieces can be found at Holbæk, Odense, Ugerløse and Copenhagen in Denmark, as well as Löderup, Hörup, and Landskrona in Sweden
.

Death and eulogies

Bloch died of cancer on 22 February 1890. His death came as "an abrupt blow for Nordic art" according to an article by Sophus Michaelis. Michaelis stated that "Denmark has lost the artist that indisputably was the greatest among the living." Kyhn stated in his eulogy at Bloch's funeral that "Bloch stays and lives."

A prominent Danish art critic, Karl Madsen, stated that Bloch reached higher toward the great heaven of art than all other Danish art up to that date. Madsen also said "If there is an Elysium, where the giant, rich, warm and noble artist souls meet, there Carl Bloch will sit among the noblest of them all!".[2]

Influence on art of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

For over 40 years,

The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd
.

The church's interest in Bloch's work was generally kickstarted with

Latter-day Saint audiences.[4]

Through the assistance of Danish-born artist

Museum of Art.[1] A second work by Bloch, an 1880 grisaille version of The Mocking of Christ, was purchased by BYU in June 2015.[5]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ a b BYU Magazine, Winter 2011.
  2. ^ "Carl Heinrich Bloch Biography With All Details | carlbloch.org". www.carlbloch.org. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  3. ISSN 0007-0106
    .
  4. .
  5. ^ McDonald, Amy (June 4, 2015). "Mormon-owned BYU acquires long-lost 'mysterious' Bloch painting of Jesus". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved June 5, 2015.

External links