By Jennifer Davis
Original Rembrandts, pages from the Gutenberg Bible and paintings from the 16th century are just a few things found in the newly reopened Hope Gallery in Provo.
Soren Edsberg, a Provo artist and owner of Hope Gallery, has been around the world collecting drawings, engravings, etchings and paintings.
The difference between Edsberg''s gallery and other galleries in the area is he owns the rights for all of the art he has in his gallery, making all of them available for resale.
'We consider ourselves a hidden treasure here in Provo, Utah,' said Hannah Edsberg, daughter of Soren Edsberg.
Edsberg is the only trader who owns rights to the paintings of the famous Denmark painter, Carl Bloch. Bloch''s paintings capture the historical and religious life of Christ. For the past 40 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only organization that held the rights to the Bloch paintings for display in churches. Edsberg attained the rights by negotiating with the National Historic Museum in Denmark.
One of Bloch''s paintings, 'Christ Healing by the Well of Bethesda,' is now on display at the BYU Museum of Art.
Edsberg uses new technology called Giclee to reproduce the Bloch paintings on canvas. Edsberg scans the slide of a painting into a computer, digitally restores the art piece and prints the artwork onto canvas. Hannah Edsberg said the technology is an improvement because the ink used to print is such high quality. The print is guaranteed for up to 200 years.
Edsberg is originally from Denmark and has displayed art all around the world. In 1987, he moved to the United States and joined the faculty at Brigham Young University as an adjunct professor.
In the late ''90s, Edsberg began devoting his time to computer-enhanced photography of nature. He adds words from scripture and different religions to the photography. Edsberg said his goal is to bring different cultures and religions together by trying to get people to realize similar values that different religions share.
'I''ve found, as most people eventually learn, that despite religious differences, we basically have more in common with one another than we realize,' Edsberg said.
Edsberg''s Hope Gallery also contains original art from such famous artists as Erik Hennigsen and Edvard Pederson. The gallery is free for the public to attend and is located at the Riverwoods Mall.