Artwork
The Arrest of Christ
The Arrest of Christ is a wood painting by the Mannerist artist Wolf Huber. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Wolf Huber’s *The Arrest of Christ* (1530) is a wooden panel painting that captures the moment Judas identifies Jesus with a kiss. The composition centers on the kneeling Christ in a white robe, surrounded by armed men and a dark, forested backdrop, emphasizing the tension of the betrayal.
Subject & Meaning
The work illustrates the Gospel episode in which Judas Iscariot, cloaked in red, signals the soldiers by kissing Jesus, thereby initiating his capture. The juxtaposition of the intimate gesture with the threatening presence of swords and ropes underscores themes of treachery, sacrifice, and the onset of the Passion narrative.
Technique & Style
Huber employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing a left‑hand light source to illuminate the figures while the surrounding darkness recedes. This contrast heightens the emotional charge and aligns the piece with Mannerist tendencies, such as elongated forms and exaggerated poses, characteristic of the Danube school’s expressive visual language.
History & Provenance
Created in 1530, the panel has remained within German collections and is presently housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The museum’s acquisition reflects the institution’s focus on early 16th‑century Northern European art, providing a context for Huber’s work alongside contemporaneous religious paintings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Wolf Huber (c. 1485 – 3 June 1553) was an Austrian- German painter, printmaker, and architect, who worked in Passau, Germany for most of his life as a leading member of the Danube school.
