Late Gothic Walnut Sculpture of Christ in Gethsemane

A powerful late Gothic sculpture depicting Christ seated in a rocky landscape, his head resting on his hand in a gesture of sorrow and meditation. Barefoot and clothed in long robes, He leans against the rugged rocks of the garden of Gethsemane, anticipating the Passion.
This type of devotional image, often referred to as “Christ in Gethsemane” or “Christ at the Mount of Olives,” was a popular subject in Flemish wood sculpture around 1500. Intended to inspire meditation on Christ’s humanity and suffering, such figures were often placed in chapels or niches as aids to prayer.
Carved in walnut with deep, angular folds and expressive facial features, the sculpture exemplifies the drama and piety of Netherlandish Gothic carving at the turn of the 16th century.