The artwork, titled “Christ on the Mount of Olives and the angel with the cup of suffering,” was created by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo between approximately 1745 and 1750. Rendered in oil on canvas, this religious painting measures 79 by 90 centimeters and falls within the Rococo art movement.
In the scene, an anguished Christ is depicted on the Mount of Olives, with his head crowned with a halo, extending his hand in a sign of submission or acceptance towards an angel. The angel, adorned with radiant wings, presents a cup symbolizing the suffering Christ is to endure. The angel’s glowing and serene presence contrasts with the darker, tumultuous imagery of the surrounding figures. In the background, armed soldiers wielding torches approach, symbolizing impending betrayal and capture. The dramatic use of light and dark, characteristic of Tiepolo’s technique, accentuates the emotional intensity and spiritual significance of the moment depicted in the artwork.
