Newly Discovered Carl Bloch Painting of Christ Goes to BYU Museum of Art

Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art has acquired a long lost Carl Bloch painting of Jesus Christ.

The painting, which has been hidden from the world for more than 130 years, portrays a Roman guard mocking Christ after a crown of thorns was placed on His head. Salt Lake Tribune reports that the 1880 painting, called “The Mocking of Christ,” recently surfaced at an auction house in Denmark. Peter Titelbech saw the painting, quickly recognizing it as a Carl Bloch piece,  and convinced the auction house to sell the art to the BYU museum.

The Museum of Art is no stranger to Bloch’s paintings. Mark Magleby, BYU Museum of Art’s director, told the Trib that “The Mocking of Christ” is the second Bloch painting to find a permanent home at the Provo museum. The museum also owns around a dozen etchings of Bloch’s work.

Magelby explains that many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would recognize Bloch’s art as the Church uses his work in many of their publications. “People without a lot of knowledge of the full spectrum of the history of Christian art would be extremely familiar with Carl Bloch,” Magelby said. 

Jack and Mary Lois Wheatley bought “The Mocking of Christ” for the BYU’s Museum of Art. The painting debuted Thursday and will take its permanent place in the museum in a few months.