The Agony in the Garden

After the Last Supper, Christ went to pray on Mount Olivet, bringing along three companions, the Apostles Peter, John and James, who would fall asleep at the foot of the hill as Christ prayed. In the right background of the print, Judas appears with purse in hand, leading the Roman soldiers to arrest Christ. At close inspection, one might note some slips of the burin in this engraving-for instance, in the stray line near the mouth and nose of Christ. It is a reminder of just how unforgiving the medium of engraving can be and the exceptional level of skill required to execute the immaculately engraved plates more typical of Schongauer's oeuvre.