Stenet Strandbred

Carl Bloch prints bring together two sides of one of Denmark's most admired painters: warm, humorous scenes of everyday life and the gentle, luminous pictures of the life of Christ that have travelled around the world. Bloch trained in Copenhagen, spent seven formative years in Italy and became the leading Danish history painter of his day. Our collection of fine art prints covers his religious works, genre scenes, portraits and coastal views.

About Carl Bloch

Carl Heinrich Bloch was born in Copenhagen on 23 May 1834. His parents hoped he would become a naval officer, but drawing and painting were his only interest. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts under Wilhelm Marstrand, and on his way south to Italy he saw the paintings of Rembrandt in the Netherlands, which became a lasting influence.

Bloch lived in Italy from 1859 to 1866, and these years shaped his historical style. His first great success came with Prometheus Unbound, painted in 1864 and shown in Copenhagen in 1865. Hans Christian Andersen admired his work and wrote him warm letters of praise. After Marstrand's death, Bloch completed the decoration of the ceremonial hall of the University of Copenhagen.

His best-known commission was a set of twenty-three paintings of the life of Christ for the King's Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, painted between 1865 and 1879 and still there today. He also painted altarpieces for churches in Denmark, Sweden and the Faroe Islands.

Bloch married Alma Trepka in Rome in 1868. Her early death in 1886 left him alone with their eight children, and he died of cancer in Copenhagen on 22 February 1890, mourned as one of the greatest Nordic artists of his time.

Style and Subjects

Bloch's religious paintings are clear, calm and full of soft light. Christ is shown without halos or heavy symbolism, among ordinary people drawn with careful realism, which is one reason these pictures have been reproduced so widely. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has used them for decades in its buildings, books and films.

His genre scenes are quite different: lively, often funny moments from Roman taverns, Danish kitchens and fishing villages, painted with a sharp eye for character. He also painted portraits, still lifes and quiet coastal views around Hellebæk.

Famous Works

• In a Roman Osteria (1866), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen. Two young men and a girl at a tavern table, his best-loved genre scene.
• Samson and the Philistines (1863), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen. A dramatic early history painting from his Italian years.
• Prometheus Unbound (1864). The painting that brought him his first great success in Copenhagen.
• The Sermon on the Mount (1877), Museum of National History, Frederiksborg Castle. Christ teaching a crowd on a hillside, from the Frederiksborg series.
• Christ Healing at the Pool of Bethesda, Brigham Young University Museum of Art, Provo, Utah. Christ lifts the cover from a sick man waiting by the pool.
• Christus Consolator (1890), Frederiksborg Castle. Christ comforting the suffering, painted in the last year of his life.
• Still Life with Fish (1878), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen. A fishmonger's catch painted with close attention to texture.

Decorating with Bloch Prints

Bloch's religious paintings suit quiet, personal spaces: a reading nook, a hallway, a study or a bedroom, where their soft light and calm figures can be seen up close. A print such as Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane works well framed in dark wood or gold.

His tavern and kitchen scenes have more warmth and humour and suit dining rooms and kitchens, while the Hellebæk coast and garden views bring a light Scandinavian touch to a cottage or seaside home.

FAQ

What is Carl Bloch best known for?

Bloch is best known for his twenty-three paintings of the life of Christ in the King's Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle, painted between 1865 and 1879. In Denmark he is also loved for genre scenes such as In a Roman Osteria.

Where can I see Carl Bloch's paintings?

The Frederiksborg series remains at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, and many other works are in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. Christ Healing at the Pool of Bethesda is at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art in Utah.

Who taught Carl Bloch?

He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts under Wilhelm Marstrand. The paintings of Rembrandt, which he saw in the Netherlands, were also a major influence.

Why are Carl Bloch's paintings used by the Latter-day Saints?

For over forty years the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has used his Frederiksborg paintings in its buildings, printed media and films. Their realism and lack of halos or other traditional symbols are thought to have helped.

What makes Carl Bloch's style recognizable?

Look for soft, even light, carefully drawn faces and hands, and calm compositions. His religious scenes feel human and close rather than distant or grand.

Related Artists

• Wilhelm Marstrand: his teacher at the Copenhagen Academy, whose university hall decoration Bloch completed
• Rembrandt van Rijn: the Dutch master who became a major influence on him
• Kristian Zahrtmann: Danish history painter of the next generation
• Frans Schwartz: Danish history and portrait painter of the late 19th century
• Laurits Tuxen: Danish painter of the next generation