Flemish school, 16th century.
"Prayer in the Garden.
Oil on oak panel.
It has repainting, restorations and damage caused by xylophages.
Measurements: 29 x 40 cm; 41 x 52 cm (frame).
This devotional painting represents Jesus in the Garden of Olives at the moment when the angel comforts him, while his disciples Peter, John and James sleep beside him (Matthew: ch. 26 v. 37; Mark: ch. 14 v. 33). The Gospels narrate that Jesus, in the throes of a strange sadness, went to pray on the Mount of Olives, where the apostles followed him. Once there, Jesus withdraws to one side to pray, the moment of the crucifixion becoming present to him. This episode thus marks the beginning of the bloody Passion in the soul of Christ. The apostles fall into a deep sleep, and an angel appears to Jesus to comfort him. In fact, this episode alludes to the greatest temptation of Jesus' life, the last of them all: knowing his fate, he can either flee from his enemies or continue to fulfil his divine mission, risking his life.
The Flemish school was characterised by the great influence of the Flemish Primitives, which survived for a long time, largely due to the political and cultural ties between the two countries. Flemish painting was, in the 15th century, the most advanced in Europe, and influenced all national schools, including Italian. It was considered an art of great refinement, with works executed and treated like jewels. This consideration was also due to the very rich materials used in its execution, as well as to the richness of the assemblages of the panels, which, as we can see here, were of great richness. The features of the Flemish school are similar to those of Flemish painting, starting with the Flemish painters' main concern, the quest for reality above all else. In connection with this desire, great attention is paid to the quality of the objects and to the smallest details, which are often endowed with symbolic significance. The iconography is still mainly religious, and the scenes are dominated by a correct, precise and very meticulous drawing. In the same way, they also tried to capture the truest possible lighting, whether artificial or natural, always modelling the flesh tones and producing chiaroscuro to a greater or lesser degree.