Description
The Mocking of Christ
Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1834-1890
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and the bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
The Mocking of Christ occupies a prominent position on the left-hand choir wall in the church at Ordrup. The helmeted soldier, in malicious derision, pushes the crown of thorns into the Savior’s head with his upraised reed, causing blood to ooze from the furrowed brow. In stark contrast to the face of the callous soldier, the face of the Savior is calm, yet intent. He looks directly at the viewer as if to ask, “Will you mock me also?” His expressive eyes question our commitment to Him.
More About Bloch
Carl Bloch was an academic Danish painter who is best known for his paintings depicting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
He received his artistic training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Later, while living in Rome for several years, Bloch studied paintings by the great Italian masters.
When he returned to Copenhagen, Bloch quickly established a reputation as a religious painter. This led to major commissions for paintings in churches and chapels of Denmark and Sweden.
His extensive body of work includes over 250 paintings and 78 etchings. Still, Bloch considered his religious works to be his most valuable contributions. His productive career ended early when he died of cancer at the age of only fifty-five.
This piece was displayed in our Sacred Gifts exhibition.
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