The Agony in the Garden

Nicolas Poussin executed The Agony in the Garden in 1626 as an oil painting on a copper support. The work was owned by Carlo Antonio Dal Pozzo and subsequently by Philippe-Laurent de Joubert, the American artist John Trumbull, and Jon Landau. In 2021 it was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded as accession number 2021.378 and remains part of the permanent collection.

The Agony in the Garden (1626) is an early work by Poussin, painted on copper and depicting Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. It reflects the artist's engagement with Counter-Reformation religious subject matter and his classicizing approach to narrative composition. Long held in private collections, the painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021.

The influence of The Agony in the Garden extends through its role as a prototype for Poussin's devotional compositions, inspiring later artists to explore heightened emotional depth in sacred scenes. Its inclusion in notable collections, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has cemented its reputation as a key example of 17th-century religious painting, frequently cited in scholarly discussions of Poussin's impact on Baroque and Neoclassical art movements. The work's provenance, including ownership by John Trumbull and Jon Landau, further underscores its historical significance and enduring legacy in art history.

Created in 1626, Nicolas Poussin’s "The Agony in the Garden" is a copper painting now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work portrays a nocturnal episode from the Gospel of Luke, focusing on Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane and the surrounding figures who witness his distress.