The Agony in the Garden (after Andrea Mantegna)
Original print, intaglio etching and drypoint on paper • Circle of or Manner of William Strang or Frank Brangwyn; possibly a European modernist printmaker influenced by the Old Masters.
Style & Movement
Symbolism / Post-Romanticism with Old Master Revival influences; reflects the late-century trend of 'Peintre-Graveur' (painter-printmakers).
Medium & Technique
Etching and drypoint; characterized by dense cross-hatching, heavy tonal wiping, and sketchy, expressive line work to create dramatic chiaroscuro.
Creation Period
Late 19th century to early 20th century (Modern era)
Dimensions & Format
Estimated 8 x 10 inches (plate size), vertical portrait format presented in a modern blue mat and dark frame.
Subject Description
A muscular, monumental figure of Christ shown in a moment of intense psychological and spiritual distress. The composition focuses on his reclining form, arms raised in anguish, set against a dark, expressive background representing the Garden of Gethsemane.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good; the image remains clear though there are visible aging signs typical of works on paper.
Estimated Market Value
$300 - $700
Auction Estimate
$250 - $500
Provenance History
Unknown; likely acquired through the private secondary market. No visible collector's marks or dealer labels are present on the front of the matting.
Art Historical Significance
Representational of the late 19th-century etching revival, where artists looked back to the expressive power of Renaissance and Baroque masters like Mantegna and Rembrandt to express modern angst and human emotion.
Notable Features
The muscularity of the figure is notably exaggerated, suggesting a late-Victorian or early-Modern interest in the 'heroic' body, contrasted with the fragile medium of paper.
Condition Issues
Visible foxing (small brown spots) on the white margins of the paper; slight yellowing/oxidation of the paper fibers; minor rippling of the paper support within the mat.
Conservation Recommendations
Should be removed from current acidic mount and re-matted with 100% acid-free museum-grade rag board. Professional cleaning to remove foxing recommended. Keep away from direct sunlight.