Artwork
Christ in the garden of olives at Gethsemane
Christ in the garden of olives at Gethsemane is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Matthias Stom. It dates from 1631 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1631 by Matthias Stom, a painter of Dutch or Flemish origin who worked in Italy, this oil work portrays a nocturnal episode from the New Testament. The composition centers on a kneeling Christ in prayer, flanked by an angel and a distant group of men, all rendered within a tenebrous setting that emphasizes the solemn atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures the moment in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus, dressed in a red overcoat and blue garment, beseeches the Father. An angel, robed in brown, points toward a chalice placed on a nearby table, alluding to the impending Passion. The surrounding figures, some bearing torches, suggest the looming arrest and the tension between divine resolve and human treachery.
Technique & Style
Light from the torches and an unseen source highlights the central figures, creating a stark contrast that intensifies the emotional gravity.
Stom employs a dramatic chiaroscuro, a hallmark of early Baroque painting, to model forms against a deep, shadowy background. Light from the torches and an unseen source highlights the central figures, creating a stark contrast that intensifies the emotional gravity. The handling of light and texture reflects the influence of Caravaggio’s followers, especially the Utrecht Caravaggists, while retaining Stom’s own vigorous brushwork.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the work entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Stom aligns with his documented activity in Italy during the 1630s, a period when he assimilated influences from Jusepe de Ribera and Peter Paul Rubens while maintaining a distinct, somber visual language.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Matthias Stom or Matthias Stomer (c. 1600 – after 1652) was a Dutch, or possibly Flemish, painter who is only known for the works he produced during his residence in Italy. He was influenced by the work of non-Italian…
