Christus in de Hof van Olijven 1681 - 1728

This engraving by François van Bleyswijck depicts the Agony in the Garden. Here, Christ’s gesture, the open hand, and the pointing finger, carry an emotional plea. It’s a symbol that echoes through the ages, seen in countless depictions of prophets and orators. Look closely: doesn’t it remind you of similar gestures in classical art, where figures appeal to the heavens or warn their people? Even the sleeping disciples are laden with symbolic weight. Their slumber represents the human failure to stay vigilant in times of crisis, a motif that appears again and again in art, reflecting our shared anxieties and frailties. Consider how sleep, often a symbol of peace, here embodies neglect, a powerful force that engages us on a deep, subconscious level, stirring feelings of guilt and helplessness. The symbols in this artwork show us how images resonate across time, echoing and transforming as they resurface in new contexts.