Christus in Gethsemane 1576

Chrispijn van den Broeck created this drawing, Christus in Gethsemane, sometime in the late 16th century. Van den Broeck was working in the midst of the Protestant Reformation which questioned religious authority and grappled with issues of salvation and divine will. Notice how the artist represents Christ kneeling in prayer, struggling with his fate, while an angel appears to offer solace. The disciples lay nearby, overcome with sleep. This moment of intense personal and spiritual conflict is set against the backdrop of an impending betrayal, as suggested by the approaching figures in the distance. Van den Broeck masterfully captures the emotional weight of the scene, inviting viewers to contemplate themes of faith, sacrifice, and human frailty. The artist urges us to reflect on the tensions between the divine and the mortal, the individual and the collective, as the figure of Christ embodies the weight of human suffering and the hope of redemption.