Christus in de hof van Getsemane / Gevangenneming van Christus 1598 - 1654

These engravings depict two scenes, Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and his subsequent capture. Let's focus on the first scene; Christ's posture. Kneeling in prayer, he's bathed in divine light, a motif of humility and supplication found across cultures. Consider how the gesture of kneeling transcends its immediate religious context. We see it mirrored in ancient Egyptian art, where pharaohs kneel before deities, or in classical Greek sculptures, depicting figures in attitudes of reverence. This posture, deeply embedded in our collective memory, speaks to a universal human experience: the acknowledgment of a higher power. The emotional weight of this symbol, combined with the imminent betrayal, engages us on a subconscious level. It reflects the cyclical progression of human experience: reverence, crisis, and the enduring search for meaning across time. It's a powerful, timeless image that continues to resonate.