Christ in Gethsemane 

Vasily Perov made this oil painting, Christ in Gethsemane, with traditional materials, canvas, and oil paint. The rough quality of the brushwork imbues the artwork with an intense feeling of somber and despair. The dark colors and visible brushstrokes reflect Perov’s concern with realism and his attempt to capture the emotional intensity of Christ’s suffering. The process of oil painting itself requires a high degree of skill and training. The artist meticulously builds up layers of pigment to create depth and texture. This connects to a tradition of craftsmanship in fine arts that elevates the artwork beyond mere representation. The amount of labor and skill involved in creating this painting emphasizes the significance of the subject matter, Christ’s agony. By focusing on the materials and process behind Christ in Gethsemane, we recognize the labor, tradition, and skill interwoven in its making. This challenges traditional notions of what constitutes fine art, emphasizing the importance of craft, context, and social meaning.