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Scuola Grande San Rocco Venice - Tintoretto Garden of the Olives
Tintoretto “Prayer in the Garden of Olives”
Oil on Canvas (538 x 455 cm) 1578-1581
Prayer in the Garden of Olives At the bottom left of the painting, a column of soldiers led by Judas stealthily approaches to arrest Jesus, while his disciples sleep soundly instead of keeping watch and praying not to give in to the temptation to abandon their master.
Above them, Jesus sweats blood and implores his father to spare him the suffering that awaits him.
They are symbolised by the cup of bitterness handed to him by the angel who has come to assist him.
Behind the angel, the fire of an almost solar light illuminates the cup, touches Christ's head and falls on the sleeping disciples.
Prayer in the Garden of Olives This powerful light contrasts with the dim glow that reveals the proximity of the ghostly silhouettes of the soldiers, hiding in the darkness.
The unreality of such proximity reflects the absolute difference between the purity of Christ, the perfect embodiment of love of neighbour, and the natural imperfection of human beings.
It is a superimposition of two radically different worlds.
This work underlines the intensity of the inner struggle and total solitude of Christ, who must sacrifice himself to seal the New Covenant between God and man.
The Resurrection of Christ We find elements of the Gospel of Luke 22, verses 41 to 47.
Tintoretto “The Resurrection of Christ”
Oil on Canvas (529 x 485 cm) 1578-1581“And, behold, there was a great shaking: for the Angel of the Lord had descended from heaven and, going forth, had rolled away the stone, and was seated upon it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his garment was white as snow.
In their fear of him, the guards were shaken and became as if dead.”
Gospel according to St. Matthew, ch.28, 1-8.
Christ bursts forth from a fire so intense, you'd think he was being pushed out of the earth by a volcano!
The Resurrection of Christ The jolt here is such that the four angels seem to be holding back the tombstone they were beginning to remove.
The glorious body of Christ appears, calm and serene, his left hand holding a standard and his right hand ready to give the blessing.
This body, both powerful and light, contrasts with the heavy sleeping bodies of the guards lying in darkness.
The fire of the divine Spirit is shown as a force capable of overturning the dark inertia of earthly matter.
To the left of the painting, we see the two women approaching, talking under the dawn sky: they will be surprised to discover the empty tomb guarded by the Angel charged with telling them the good news.
History Art Scuola | Rivalries | Crucifixion | Pilate Ecce Homo Calvary | Official Painter | Snake | Moses Manna | Sin Isaac Jacob | Adoration Temptation Breads | Probatic Pool Last Supper | Olive Garden Resurrection | Pianta | Annunciation Adoration Flight | Innocents Circumcision
San Rocco History Art | Location | Opening Hours Tickets | Authorizations
Museums Doge's Palace | Guggenheim | Correr | Pesaro | Rezzonico | Murano | Accademia | Oriental | Ca d'Oro | Archeological | Querini | Bovolo | Pisani | Fortuny | Rocco | Lace | Marciana | Grassi | Dogana
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