The agony in the garden

This scene depicts Christ’s spiritual struggle during the night before his crucifixion. Jesus prays to God that he may withstand the difficult ordeal awaiting him. He is alone, the others are fast asleep, and an angel - the divine messenger - has come to provide strength in his internal tribulation. A troupe of soldiers led by Judas arrive from Jerusalem in the background, coming to arrest Jesus. Rembrandt portrayed this emotional subject with a distinctive, quick drawing style and an impres-sive interplay of light and shadow. Other notable features typical of the artist's late period are a simplification of spatial relations and a focus on psychological expressiveness. Rembrandt succeed-ed at producing a gripping drama within the confines of a small space and employing simple visual means.