Carl Bloch: The Master's Hand

Christ in Gethsemane- by Carl Heinrich Bloch

The Museum of art at Brigham Young University is currently showcasing a once in a lifetime exhibition of paintings by Danish artist Carl Heinrich Bloch. The 19th century dutch master is best known for his religious depictions of the life of Christ.

Bloch Self Portrait

The exhibit showcases four large alterpiece paintings, of which are on loan from their respective Danish Lutheran churches as well as nearly 30 smaller works. A fifth alterpiece painting, the monumental "Christ at the Pool of Bethesda" was acquired by the museum in 2001 and has quickly become the centerpiece of the BYU collection.

Christ at the Pool of Bethesda- Carl Heinrich Bloch

The paintings are shown their own settings meant to mimic their original church surroundings and include chairs for viewers to sit and contemplate each work. I have not yet seen the exhibit but plan to attend during the Christmas break.

Having viewed the Bethesda painting on numerous occasions, I can hardly wait to soak up the details of these large works. It is always a thrill to see original paintings like these as it is so much different than seeing works reproduced in books, no matter the printing quality. The exhibit is free but tickets are being distributed in order to control crowds. The Museum has extended hours during the run of the show. If you are within reasonable driving distance of Provo, Utah, you should consider a road trip.The rest of us locals have no excuse not to see the show which runs until May 7, 2011.

Carl Bloch: The Master's Hand exhibit website
Reserve free tickets here
More about Carl Bloch here