Agony in the Garden (The Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane)
Painting on canvas • Follower of Heinrich Hofmann or school of German Nazarene/Academic religious art
Style & Movement
Nazarene / Late 19th Century Academic Religious Art
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; fine glazing and smooth blending associated with academic religious painting
Creation Period
Late 19th Century (c. 1870-1890)
Dimensions & Format
Large portrait format, approximately 100 x 75 cm excluding frame
Subject Description
Biblical narrative of Jesus Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane while an angel offers him a cup (the chalice of suffering). Below him, the apostles Peter, James, and John are depicted asleep in various reclining poses.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good/Fair: Presence of surface grime and visible age-related darkening of the varnish
Estimated Market Value
USD 1,200 - 2,500
Auction Estimate
USD 800 - 1,500
Provenance History
Likely commissioned for a private chapel or a parish church; typical of devotional art produced in late 19th-century Europe
Art Historical Significance
A representative example of 19th-century popular piety, reflecting the pervasive influence of German religious painters like Heinrich Hofmann on Christian iconography.
Notable Features
Housed in a traditional Gilded Neoclassical frame with ornate plaster moldings
Condition Issues
Visible craquelure across the sky and garment areas; possible yellowing of varnish; minor abrasions along the frame line
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning to remove oxidized varnish; stabilizing craquelure; display in UV-filtered light