Caravaggista school; late 17th century.
"The Arrest of Christ".
Oil on canvas.
Possible signature on the back.
It presents faults in the painting, repainting and slight restorations.
Measurements: 43,5 x 32 cm; 53 x 41,5 cm (frame).
In the darkness of the Mount of Olives, which cannot be seen in the scene, Jesus receives the kiss that consummates Judas' betrayal. To portray this biblical scene, the artist has placed Judas and Jesus in the centre of the composition, clearly differentiating the figure of Jesus by placing him facing the viewer in opposition to Judas, who is facing the sword, and also resulting in the divine figure with a brighter palette of colour. Around the main figures, the artist has placed several soldiers in relation to the biblical text which describes a group of soldiers sent by the high priests of the Temple to capture Christ,
Stylistically, the work shows a clear influence of Caravaggio and the followers of his style: the theatrical use of a powerful spotlight, the combination of this strong lighting with areas of darkness, the use of diagonals, the use of models inspired by the common people (although without the extraordinary realism of the Italian master in the present work as there is a greater degree of idealisation in the faces), etc. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His painting combines a realistic observation of the human figure, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of light, which had a decisive influence on the formation of Baroque painting. Caravaggio depicted close anatomical observation with a dramatic use of chiaroscuro that came to be known as tenebrism. This technique became a dominant stylistic element, darkening shadows and transfiguring objects into brilliant beams of light. He vividly expressed crucial moments and scenes, often involving violent struggle, torture and death. He worked quickly with models from life, dispensing with sketches to work directly on canvas. His influence was profound on the new Baroque style that emerged from Mannerism and can be traced in the works of great masters such as Pedro Pablo Rubens, José de Ribera, Rembrandt and Diego Velázquez, as well as in countless artists of the following generation, who because they manifested his profound influence were called "Caravaggists" or "Tenebrists".