The Taking of Christ

Francisco de Osona painted this Taking of Christ around 1500 as part of a Passion cycle in Valencia. The arrest of Christ in Gethsemane, including Judas's betrayal kiss and Peter's violent defense, was among the most dramatically charged scenes in the Passion narrative. Osona's treatment reflects the intense devotional culture of late medieval Valencia. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique.

Oil on panel with the dramatic staging and vivid coloring of the Valencian school. The nocturnal scene is rendered with strong light-dark contrasts and expressive figure interactions.