Carl Bloch: SERMON ON THE MOUNT

THE STORY:
This painting shows Jesus Christ teaching the Sermon on the Mount. I think this painting shows this part of the record quite well: “And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority.”

ANALYSIS: 
Carl Bloch organizes this painting in a balanced spiral. As the eye begins at Christ's figure and travels along the spiral, the viewer is invited to pause on the faces and postures of all of Christ's listeners.

Some clasp their hands and kneel in adoration, some turn partially away, some look deep in thought. This painting invites the viewer to consider what her reaction would be, if she were listening to Christ give the Sermon on the Mount. Carl Bloch has actually painted himself into this painting: his self-portrait is directly behind Christ's shoulder.

PERSONAL IMPACT: 
Aesthetically, this painting is not one of my favorites. But I do adore the invitation to consider all of Christ's teachings as if I were there in the moment. What would my response to His teachings be? Would I kneel in adoration or turn away and declare His teachings to be too hard? This is a great pondering painting, for me.