The Taking of Christ
early to mid-17th century
Caravaggio's dramatic masterpiece captures the exact moment Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane. The artist uses his signature chiaroscuro technique, blasting the scene with harsh light from a lantern held by a soldier, while the rest of the composition plunges into deep shadow. Notice the terrified figure fleeing on the far left—art historians believe that's actually a self-portrait of Caravaggio himself! For centuries, the painting was thought to be lost until it was rediscovered hanging in a Jesuit dining room in Dublin in 1990.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
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