The Burial

Description

The Burial

Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1873

The body of Christ, wrapped in a clean linen sheet, rests on a wooden bier at the entrance of the tomb. Joseph of Arimathaea stands at the rectangular opening hewn from the rock and directs the placement of the body. Since it was the burial custom of the Jews, Nicodemus makes the final preparations by placing the spices in the linen cloth that enfolds the body of the Lord. The mourners stand near the feet of Jesus. John, holding the crown of thorns, is with both the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. White flowers alongside the bier indicate the hope of the Resurrection.

The Burial was displayed in our Sacred Gifts and The Master’s Hand exhibitions.

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.