Christ on the Mount of Olives c. 1425 - 1450

This is a small, hand-colored woodcut of Christ on the Mount of Olives, likely made in Germany during the late Middle Ages. It depicts a moment of intense spiritual and emotional crisis, as Christ prays before his crucifixion. Prints like this were not high art, they were popular devotional images, made to be sold cheaply to ordinary people. The bleeding Christ and the sleeping disciples are presented in a simple, direct manner. The print is small and basic which speaks to the wide audience it was intended to reach. The image is not about artistic innovation, but about reinforcing Christian doctrine and providing solace to the faithful. To truly understand this print, one must delve into the religious culture of the period. Consulting theological texts, prayer books, and records of popular religious practices can shed light on the specific meanings and functions this image would have held for its original audience. Art historians work to uncover these contexts, revealing the complex interplay between art, belief, and society.