The Agony in the Garden

Rembrandt · c. 1657
National Gallery of Art, Washington

A small, late etching of about 1657, drawn with free lines and finished with drypoint. Rembrandt places the scene at night on a hillside, with the moon half hidden in clouds.

The angel kneels and holds Jesus in its arms as he sinks down. Nearby the disciples lie asleep, and far off at the left small figures come out through a gate.

From the text

“An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him” (Luke 22:43)

The disciples asleep, “exhausted from sorrow” (Luke 22:45)

The Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39)

The artist’s own

The angel holding Jesus in an embrace

A walled city with a tall tower, and the moon in a stormy sky

Details

The angel

The winged angel kneels and supports Jesus with both arms.

Asleep

Disciples lie asleep at the lower left.

Coming

Small figures come through a gate in the distance.

The moon

A moon among dark clouds.

Rembrandt van Rijn, Dutch, 1606–1669. National Gallery of Art, Washington (Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.9108) · Etching and drypoint · NGA Open Access: "Images of these works are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)." (NGA open data: published_images.csv openaccess = 1)

The verses

Luke 22:39–45Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.