Ditlev Blunck. 'Abels Død', 1832
Ditlev Blunck 1798-1854. 'Abels Død', oil on canvas, signed D. Blunck, Florence 1832. 95 x 114 (117 x 136) cm.
Provenance: Purchased by the Arts Association. Auctioned in 1833, won by architect, Justice Christian Hornbeck; later Attorney General J.A. Carstensen; 1872 purchased by Commander Alexander Wilde for 250 rigsdaler; 1947 W and M 11 February, No. 305 'Abels Død', exhibited as an unknown painter from the 19th century; exhibited Charlottenborg 1833; Copenhagen 1840, No. 12; Art Association 1864; the Nivaagaard Painting Collection, 'Ditlev Blunck: A Different Kind of Golden Age Painter', 26 March-27 August 2017.
Thanks to Karin Bechmann Søndergaard for her help cataloging the painting.
The following is a quote from the book 'Blunck' by Karin Bechmann Søndergaard, p. 122 et seq., about Blunck's 1832 study tour from Rome via Florence to Venice: 'Possibly only after returning to Rome, Blunck painted a historical biblical picture, 'Abels Død'. It was exhibited at Charlottenborg in 1833 and purchased by the Kunstforeningen. In Copenhagen Kunstblatt, dated April 1833, it was extensively reported: 'Mr. D. Blunck, travelling Artist of the Academy No. 54, 'Abels Død' in the moment after the murder occurred …'. There follows a description of the scene of the murdered Abel with his head resting on the altar stone, while the smoke from the sacrifice rises to heaven. His faithful dog scratches its paw on the corpse's hand, while in the background, brother Cain is seen fleeing in despair, hiding his face in his hands. Under the rocks, the fires of hell can be seen burning. In autumn, Blunck sent the picture, and Eckersberg noted in his diary on 29 December 1832: 'A painting of Blunck has arrived ...'. The picture was purchased in 1872 by Commander Alexander Wilde, whose acquaintance Blunck made on the journey home in 1838'.
NB: Provenance and history has been corrected.
There are several instances of flaking, repairs, and a hole in the middle of the top of the canvas.
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