Artwork
Agony in the Garden
Agony in the Garden is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1711 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition aligns with religious art conventions of the period, presenting a devotional subject meant for private contemplation.
The painting portrays Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane during his agony before crucifixion, a scene drawn from the biblical account of his prayer and suffering. Van der Werff emphasizes the emotional intensity through Christ's bowed posture and anguished expression, reflecting Counter-Reformation themes of human vulnerability and divine sacrifice. The composition aligns with religious art conventions of the period, presenting a devotional subject meant for private contemplation.
Technique & Style
The work was executed in oil paint on canvas, measuring 81.6 cm in height and 57.4 cm in width. It belongs to the religious genre and exemplifies van der Werff's meticulous handling of light and composition within the devotional tradition. The painting's formal qualities reveal a restrained palette and precise brushwork that emphasize the emotional intensity of the garden scene.
History & Provenance
Agony in the Garden was painted by Adriaen van der Werff in 1711, executed in oil on canvas. The work was commissioned by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who also became its first owner. It subsequently entered the Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection and was held as part of the Electoral Gallery in Düsseldorf.
The painting later passed into the Bavarian State Painting Collections, where it remains housed at the Alte Pinakothek.
Agony in the Garden is an oil painting by Adriaen van der Werff created in 1711. It belongs to the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is part of the Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection in the Electoral Gallery Dusseldorf. The work is housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
It was commissioned by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, and has remained in this collection since its creation. The painting measures 81.6 cm in height and 57.4 cm in width. It has been displayed in exhibitions focusing on religious art and Dutch Baroque painting at the Alte Pinakothek.
Overview
Adriaen van der Werff, a Dutch painter active in the early 18th century, completed the oil painting Agony in the Garden in 1711. Executed within the Flemish Baroque tradition, the work portrays a nocturnal biblical episode and is presently housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van der Werff (21 January 1659 – 12 November 1722) was a Dutch painter of portraits and erotic, devotional and mythological scenes.
Cupid Kissing Venus (Venus Kissed by Amor)
God Holds Adam and Eve Responsible
A Nymph Dancing to a Shepherd's Flute-Playing
The Holy Family
Bubble-blowing Girl with a Vanitas Still Life
Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)
Self-portrait with the Portrait of his Wife, Margaretha van Rees, and their Daughter Maria
Portrait of Johann Wilhelm Elector of Palatine (1658-1716)
