Jesus Church, Valby
Encyclopedia
The Jesus Church is a church in the Valby
district of Copenhagen
, Denmark
, commissioned by second-generation Carlsberg brewer Carl Jacobsen
and designed by Danish architect
Vilhelm Dahlerup
. Noted for its extensive ornamentation and artwork, it is considered to be one of the country's most idiosyncratic and unconventional churches. The church was built as a mausoleum
for Carl Jacobsen and his family. Their sarcophagi
lie in the crypt. Throughout the church, there are ornaments and inscriptions associated with the family.
. On his death, Carl Jacobsen received a sum of 1,000,000 Danish krone
r. In 1883, he and his wife Ottilia decided to divide the money into four egual amounts, creating four "Ny Carlsberg Grants". The first of these was the "Ny Carlsberg Church Grant" that was to fund the creation of a new church in Valby within 10 years.
Jacobsen had already acquired the land in 1879 and in 1882 he assigned Vilhelm Dahlerup to the project. He requested a church which would "surpass all other churches in Copenhagen in beauty", specifying that it should be in the style of early Christian basilica
architecture as seen in Italy
and France
.
The sum proved inadequate but, thinking more about art than money, Carl Jacobsen continued the project regardless. On completion of the work, the costs had exceeded the original budget fourfold.
Construction of the church was begun in 1884 and it was consecrated on 15 November 1891. However, the campanile
was not added until 1894-95 as a birthday present from his mother.
, certainly the leading Danish architect of the period, is remembered for his historistic
style whereby he created new buildings on the basis of older, classical examples. There were, however, rather precise instructions on how the Jesus Church should be designed. In particular, Jacobsen provided Dahlerup with a number of photographs of the old churches and artwork in Ravenna
, Italy
, as an example of the ornate style he wished to have copied in Copenhagen. In point of fact, Dahlerup was also inspired by Notre-Dame la Grande
in Poitiers
, France
, and by the synagogue in Toledo
, Spain.
The church is indeed designed in the classic style of an early basilica
with a campanile or detached bell tower
. For the Danish Lutheran community, its style and rich ornamentation were rather unconventional, prompting a fair amount of criticism at the time. At one point, Carl Jacobsen was described by his own priest as a freethinker
, unready to follow the trends and the dogma of the day.
The main facade is dominated by three large arch
es, resting on two heavy granite column
s with characteristic twin capital
s leading into the portico
. Above the arches, the pediment
has intricate ornamentation. In the corners are the four Evangelists' symbols: Mathew's angel
to the lower left, Mark
's lion
on the upper left, John
's eagle
on the upper right, Luke
's ox
on the lower and at the very top in the centre, a naked Jesus leaning against a cross. The centre of the pediment boasts a rose window
, the largest of its kind in Denmark, composed of cathedral glass in yellow, red and green nuances supported by cames of lead. It has a diameter of 4.5 meters.
Measuring 1.7 meters in diameter, the cast bronze clock face
weighs 261 kg. The surrounding star made up of two triangles is made of massive wrought iron
bars, weighing 900 kg.
The rear southern side of the church boasts two column
s and an arch with carved symbols of the Zodiac
. It rests on the heads of the Green Man
and the Horned God
. The top of the arch bears a cross
with an opposite pentagram representing the "Brewer Star", a favoured Carlsberg Breweries symbol. This side of the building also features a niche
with a cast bronze sculpture of the Good Shepherd
.
The altar
features a pentagram
. Under the ceiling in the altar chamber runs a frieze
depicting inter alia Godfrey of Bouillon
and other Templar symbols
as well as John the Baptist
and Mary Magdalene
at the feet of the cross of the crucified Jesus
. The church also contains 12 glass mosaic
s, one of which depicts a horn
ed Moses
. The most conspicuous statement in the church is the inscription "You are God" painted on the arch leading into the altar chamber.
The chancel is divided into three tiers. The columns rising from the ground bear a gallery with a frieze by Stephan Sinding, Christ among the church's martyrs, fathers and reformers, while windows and sculpted angels decorate the dome above.
On the gallery stands the organ built by the famous French organbuilder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
. The font, designed by Jerichau, is in the shape of a shell. Water trickles into it down a cliff, between the angels of Faith and Hope.
The chancel also contains a memorial to the Jacobsen family, The Angels of Life and Death, the work of Pietro Tenerani
based on a sketch by Thorvaldsen
. There is also a memorial plaque in the chancel for Jacobsen and his wife Ottilia.
The pulpit, a replacement designed by Mogens Bøggild, was installed in 1934.
for Carl Jacobsen and his family. In the crypt below the church stand the family's Sarcophages
. The campanile also commemorates the Jacobsen family. The four bells in the belfry are each named after one of Carl’s four children who died in infancy: Alf, Beatrice, Thorvald and Erland.
's crucifix
. It replaces a copy of Michelangelo
's sculpture Moses
from the church San Pietro in Vincoli
in Rome that was transferred to the Carlsberg Glyptoteque
. Adjacent to the crucifix but just outside the church's perimeter, Jacobsen placed the sculpture Troll that smells Christian blood
depicting a fierce-looking troll reaching out for the crucifix. As the tableau proved too controversial for the parish
, it was quickly moved to the Glyptoteque garden. In 2002, the church tried to recover the sculpture, but the Glyptoteque would not part with it. A copy was therefore made and placed just in front of the church in its proper place.
Valby
' is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. Located in the southwestern corner of Copenhagen Municipality, it is a heterogeneous mixture of different types of housing - including apartment blocks, terraced housing, areas with single-family houses and allotments, as well as remains...
district of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, commissioned by second-generation Carlsberg brewer Carl Jacobsen
Carl Jacobsen
Carl Christian Hillman Jacobsen was a Danish brewer, art collector and philanthropist, the son of J. C. Jacobsen, who founded the brewery Carlsberg and named it after him.-Career:...
and designed by Danish architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Vilhelm Dahlerup
Vilhelm Dahlerup
Jens Vilhelm Dahlerup was a Danish architect who specialized in the Historicist style. One of the most productive and noted Danish architects of the 19th century, he is behind many of the most known buildings and landmarks of his time and has more than any other single architect contributed to the...
. Noted for its extensive ornamentation and artwork, it is considered to be one of the country's most idiosyncratic and unconventional churches. The church was built as a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
for Carl Jacobsen and his family. Their sarcophagi
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
lie in the crypt. Throughout the church, there are ornaments and inscriptions associated with the family.
History
Jacobsen's father, J. C. Jacobsen, had decided to bequeath Gammel Carlsberg to the Carlsberg FoundationCarlsberg Foundation
Carlsberg Foundation was founded by J. C. Jacobsen in 1876 and owns 30,3% of the shares in Carlsberg Group and has 74,2% of the voting power.The purpose of the foundation is to run and fund Carlsberg Laboratory, the museum at Frederiksborg Palace, to fund scientific research, run the Ny Carlsberg...
. On his death, Carl Jacobsen received a sum of 1,000,000 Danish krone
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
r. In 1883, he and his wife Ottilia decided to divide the money into four egual amounts, creating four "Ny Carlsberg Grants". The first of these was the "Ny Carlsberg Church Grant" that was to fund the creation of a new church in Valby within 10 years.
Jacobsen had already acquired the land in 1879 and in 1882 he assigned Vilhelm Dahlerup to the project. He requested a church which would "surpass all other churches in Copenhagen in beauty", specifying that it should be in the style of early Christian basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
architecture as seen in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The sum proved inadequate but, thinking more about art than money, Carl Jacobsen continued the project regardless. On completion of the work, the costs had exceeded the original budget fourfold.
Construction of the church was begun in 1884 and it was consecrated on 15 November 1891. However, the campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
was not added until 1894-95 as a birthday present from his mother.
The building
The church's designer, Vilhelm DahlerupVilhelm Dahlerup
Jens Vilhelm Dahlerup was a Danish architect who specialized in the Historicist style. One of the most productive and noted Danish architects of the 19th century, he is behind many of the most known buildings and landmarks of his time and has more than any other single architect contributed to the...
, certainly the leading Danish architect of the period, is remembered for his historistic
Historicism
Historicism is a mode of thinking that assigns a central and basic significance to a specific context, such as historical period, geographical place and local culture. As such it is in contrast to individualist theories of knowledges such as empiricism and rationalism, which neglect the role of...
style whereby he created new buildings on the basis of older, classical examples. There were, however, rather precise instructions on how the Jesus Church should be designed. In particular, Jacobsen provided Dahlerup with a number of photographs of the old churches and artwork in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, as an example of the ornate style he wished to have copied in Copenhagen. In point of fact, Dahlerup was also inspired by Notre-Dame la Grande
Église Notre-Dame la Grande, Poitiers
Notre-Dame la Grande is a Roman Catholic church in Poitiers, France. Having a double status, collegial and parochial, it forms part of the Catholic diocese of Poitiers. The west front adorned with statuary is recognised as a masterpiece of Romanesque religious art...
in Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and by the synagogue in Toledo
Santa María la Blanca
300px|thumb|Interior of Santa María la Blanca.Santa María la Blanca is a museum and former synagogue in Toledo, Spain. Erected in 1180, it is disputably considered the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing...
, Spain.
The church is indeed designed in the classic style of an early basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
with a campanile or detached bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. For the Danish Lutheran community, its style and rich ornamentation were rather unconventional, prompting a fair amount of criticism at the time. At one point, Carl Jacobsen was described by his own priest as a freethinker
Freethought
Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or other dogmas...
, unready to follow the trends and the dogma of the day.
Exterior
Unusually, the church is oriented along a north-south axis with the altar at the southern end. It is built as a basilica with a triangular chancel, topped by a nonagonal dome with a pyramidal spire. The campanile tower stands close to the north-east corner of the church.The main facade is dominated by three large arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es, resting on two heavy granite column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s with characteristic twin capital
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
s leading into the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
. Above the arches, the pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
has intricate ornamentation. In the corners are the four Evangelists' symbols: Mathew's angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
to the lower left, Mark
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
's lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
on the upper left, John
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
's eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
on the upper right, Luke
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist was an Early Christian writer whom Church Fathers such as Jerome and Eusebius said was the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles...
's ox
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
on the lower and at the very top in the centre, a naked Jesus leaning against a cross. The centre of the pediment boasts a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, the largest of its kind in Denmark, composed of cathedral glass in yellow, red and green nuances supported by cames of lead. It has a diameter of 4.5 meters.
Measuring 1.7 meters in diameter, the cast bronze clock face
Clock face
A clock face is the part of an analog clock that displays the time through the use of a fixed numbered dial or dials and moving hands. In its most basic form, recognized universally throughout the world, the dial is numbered 1–12 indicating the hours in a 12-hour cycle, and a short hour hand...
weighs 261 kg. The surrounding star made up of two triangles is made of massive wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
bars, weighing 900 kg.
The rear southern side of the church boasts two column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s and an arch with carved symbols of the Zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
. It rests on the heads of the Green Man
Green Man
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...
and the Horned God
Horned God
The Horned God is one of the two primary deities found in some European pagan religions. He is often given various names and epithets, and represents the male part of the religion's duotheistic theological system, the other part being the female Triple Goddess. In common Wiccan belief, he is...
. The top of the arch bears a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
with an opposite pentagram representing the "Brewer Star", a favoured Carlsberg Breweries symbol. This side of the building also features a niche
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
with a cast bronze sculpture of the Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd may refer to:In Christianity:* The Good Shepherd , pericope found in John 10:1-21, and a popular image in which the Good Shepherd represents Jesus...
.
Interior
The nave is flanked by two aisles with galleries borne by eleven pillars on each side. The arches above the galleries are supported by five pillars. The windows behind the galleries are decorated with glass paintings designed by C. N. Overgaard.The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
features a pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
. Under the ceiling in the altar chamber runs a frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
depicting inter alia Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
and other Templar symbols
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
as well as John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
and Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
at the feet of the cross of the crucified Jesus
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
. The church also contains 12 glass mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s, one of which depicts a horn
Horn (anatomy)
A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae...
ed Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
. The most conspicuous statement in the church is the inscription "You are God" painted on the arch leading into the altar chamber.
The chancel is divided into three tiers. The columns rising from the ground bear a gallery with a frieze by Stephan Sinding, Christ among the church's martyrs, fathers and reformers, while windows and sculpted angels decorate the dome above.
On the gallery stands the organ built by the famous French organbuilder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll was a French organ builder. He is considered by many to be the greatest organ builder of the 19th century because he combined both science and art to make his instruments...
. The font, designed by Jerichau, is in the shape of a shell. Water trickles into it down a cliff, between the angels of Faith and Hope.
The chancel also contains a memorial to the Jacobsen family, The Angels of Life and Death, the work of Pietro Tenerani
Pietro Tenerani
Pietro Tenerani was an Italian sculptor who studied in the studios of both Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen and carried a chaste neoclassical style into the mid-nineteenth century, specialising in pious subjects. His most prominent commission was for the tomb of Pope Pius VIII in Rome....
based on a sketch by Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
. There is also a memorial plaque in the chancel for Jacobsen and his wife Ottilia.
The pulpit, a replacement designed by Mogens Bøggild, was installed in 1934.
The crypt
The church was built as a mausoleumMausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
for Carl Jacobsen and his family. In the crypt below the church stand the family's Sarcophages
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
. The campanile also commemorates the Jacobsen family. The four bells in the belfry are each named after one of Carl’s four children who died in infancy: Alf, Beatrice, Thorvald and Erland.
The crucifix and the troll
The circular flowerbed in front of the church bears JerichauJens Adolf Jerichau
Emil Jens Baumann Adolf Jerichau was a Danish sculptor. He belonged to the generation immediately after Bertel Thorvaldsen, for whom he worked briefly in Tome, but gradually moved away from the static Neoclassicism he inherited from him and towards a more dynamic and realistic style.He was a...
's crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
. It replaces a copy of Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
's sculpture Moses
Moses (Michelangelo)
The Moses is a sculpture by the Italian High Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome...
from the church San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, best known for being the home of Michelangelo's statue of Moses, part of the tomb of Pope Julius II.-History:...
in Rome that was transferred to the Carlsberg Glyptoteque
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark...
. Adjacent to the crucifix but just outside the church's perimeter, Jacobsen placed the sculpture Troll that smells Christian blood
Trold, der vejrer kristenblod
Trold, der vejrer kristenblod is a sculpture made by Niels Hansen Jacobsen .It was modelled between 1895-96, and a bronze cast was ordered by brewer Carl Jacobsen in 1901-02. It was originally placed in front of Jacobsens church in Valby, Copenhagen, Jesuskirken, but was too controversial for the...
depicting a fierce-looking troll reaching out for the crucifix. As the tableau proved too controversial for the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, it was quickly moved to the Glyptoteque garden. In 2002, the church tried to recover the sculpture, but the Glyptoteque would not part with it. A copy was therefore made and placed just in front of the church in its proper place.