Agony in the Garden

This painting depicts Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, immediately before his arrest. After the Last Supper, Christ went to the Mount of Olives, accompanied by his disciples. Three of his disciples, Peter, James and John went with him to the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the base of the Mount. Here they left him to pray alone. Christ is shown at the centre of the composition with his three disciples asleep in the foreground. An angel appears from a rocky outcrop at the upper right, bearing a sacred chalice. In the background a group led by Judas enters through the garden gate and intends to arrest Christ. The darkening sky presents a strange contrast between dark clouds above and bright sunset below, alluding to Christ's suffering and the tragedy to come.

[cda 2023]