Agony in the Garden

Correggio's Agony in the Garden from around 1524-1527, now at Apsley House in London, depicts Christ's prayer in Gethsemane. The nocturnal scene, with the angel appearing to the agonized Christ while the apostles sleep, allowed Correggio to exploit his mastery of dramatic lighting effects Oil on canvas, increasingly preferred over panel in the sixteenth century, offered greater flexibility for large-scale compositions The work is now in the collection of Apsley House in London.

The moonlit garden scene demonstrates Correggio's command of nocturnal illumination, with the angel's supernatural radiance contrasting with the cool, silvery moonlight on the sleeping apostles.