El Greco

The Agony in the Garden, c.1590–95, Oil on canvas, 102.2 x 113.7 cm, The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio; Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, 1946.5, www.toledomuseum.org

The Darkness Has Not Overcome It

Commentary by Barbara von Barghahn

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Read by Ben Quash

First documented in 1563 as a ‘Master Domenigo’ of the Guild of St Luke in Candia (Heraklion), El Greco (1541–1614) was an experienced painter of Byzantine icons before he departed Crete in 1567. Arriving in the mercantile Republic of Venice, he had the opportunity to study first-hand the art of Renaissance colourists like Titian and Tintoretto, who flourished as leading masters of grandiose retables. In 1576 he sailed for Spain, where presumably he sought patronage by the Habsburg monarch Philip II (r. 1555–98). By 1577 he settled in Toledo, the administrative seat of the Church, where he moved in the orbit of humanists, intellectual aristocrats, and prominent ecclesiastical reformers.

El Greco’s ethereal, elongated, and almost boneless figures, are otherworldly. Garbed in robes of undiluted colour, they seem to shimmer with the animation of divine light. There is nothing to compare with them in the history of art.

The Agony in the Garden is a canvas that takes elements from all four Gospel accounts. We see the angel comforting Christ from Luke (22:43), the three sleeping apostles from Mark’s and Matthew’s accounts, and in the far right, Judas leading a band with flaming torches, a detail only found in John 18:3.

Despite the clear attention to Gospel accounts, the work reveals far less concern for capturing aspects of a naturalistic physical world. With arms outstretched, Jesus is portrayed in prayer before a huge rock, his anguish (agonia in Greek) communicated as he contemplates his imminent death. Like a faceted gemstone touched by blinding light, his crimson robes transition in hue from white to highly saturated red. Christ’s angelic companion in tin-lead yellow holds a chalice and kneels above the inert apostles wrapped within a mist-enshrouded cavern.

El Greco’s Gethsemane is a barren environment. Yet, through the darkness, Judas and the guards light the way that the narrative will take as Jesus’s Passion continues.

 

See full exhibition for Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42; Luke 22:39–46

Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42; Luke 22:39–46

Revised Standard Version

Matthew 26

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemʹane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go yonder and pray.” 37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebʹedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” 40And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done.” 43And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Mark 14

32 And they went to a place which was called Gethsemʹane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.” 33And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch.” 35And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt.” 37And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer him. 41And he came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Luke 22

39 And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40And when he came to the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42“Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” 45And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46and he said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

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