The Taking of Christ

Caravaggio · 1602

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CULTUREPICK · MASTERWORK MAGNIFIER

The Taking of Christ

Caravaggio · 1602
Collection National Gallery of Ireland (on indefinite loan from the Jesuits) · Dublin
Original 9,893 × 7,666px

The eyes of Jesus hidden in this painting — what secret lies behind them?

Key Points

Caravaggio's depiction of the arrest of Jesus, with a dramatic contrast of light and shadow
The kiss of Judas, the sword of the disciple Peter, and the tension of the arrest scene
The painter's hidden self-portrait within the painting, and the mysterious source of light
A painting missing for 200 years, kept secret by the Jesuits

Reading the Work

What's Depicted

This painting depicts the moment Jesus is arrested through the kiss of his disciple Judas. Jesus stands at the center, Judas kisses him from behind, and Peter holds a sword. Three soldiers and a man holding a lantern also appear in the scene.

Into the Painting

The painting is set against a dark background, with light falling sharply to reveal the faces of Jesus and Judas clearly. The light comes from the upper left, and the man holding the lantern at the far right may be a self-portrait of Caravaggio. The gleaming metal on the soldier's arm in the painting is regarded as a mysterious symbol.

Why It's a Masterpiece

In this painting, Caravaggio created a mysterious atmosphere through the dramatic contrast of light and shadow. This technique became a hallmark of Baroque art and vividly conveyed the scene of Jesus's arrest, having a great influence on art history.

Commentary source: National Gallery of Ireland · Public domain
Image: Public domain · Original on Wikimedia Commons
Viewer: OpenSeadragon (BSD)

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