Description
Agony in the Garden
Frans Schwartz, 1898
Due to increasing demand for this image, please allow up to three weeks before print ships.
As we reflect on the final days of Christ’s ministry, the day traditionally called “Holy Thursday” commemorates when Jesus partook of the sacred Passover meal with His disciples and then retired to the Garden of Gethsemane. Frans Schwartz’s Agony in the Garden reminds us of the unfathomable physical, emotional, and mental anguish the Savior endured and His own need for divine assurance and strength.
The Gospel of Luke describes the Savior’s dark hours in Gethsemane: “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). Here the angel stands above the kneeling Christ, enveloping Him in a warm embrace. With wings extended, the angel seems to banish the darkness, if only for a moment. Schwartz captures the tenderness of the scene with loose and painterly brushstrokes quite different from the academic style of Bloch and Hofmann.
What’s Going On?
In the work, a Divine male figure kneels on the ground. His clasped hands rest under his nose. His head is slightly bowed. He is wearing what appears to be loose robes. Another Divine figure stands slightly behind him, with one arm around his shoulders. The other hand is placed upon his head. They are wearing along flowing robes that drape to the ground of the image. This figure’s bowed head rests atop the kneeling figure’s head. Around their head, this divine figure has a circle of light. They also have large, feathered wings that frame the two figures.
Agony in the Garden is part of our Sacred Gifts exhibition.
Jusirh M Beck (verified owner) –