Only two of Nicolas Poussin’s oil paintings on copper survive. In January, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York acquired one of the 17th-century French artist’s works: “The Agony in the Garden.”
Even though some 17th- and 18th-century texts mention the painting, it was lost until 1985. Up until recently, art collectors Jon and Barbara Landau have enjoyed the work in their home, but now the public can marvel at it in The Met, where it’s part of the largest collection of Poussin’s work outside of Europe.
“This ambitious work, having belonged to one of the most important Roman collectors of the 17th century, has been prized from the moment it was painted,” said Stephan Wolohojian, The Met’s John Pope-Hennessy curator in charge of the department of European Paintings, in a press release.
The collector that Wolohojian referred to is Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo, the brother of the antiquarian Cassiano dal Pozzo (who became Poussin’s friend and his most influential patron in Rome.)
“The Agony in the Garden,” 1626–27, by Nicolas Poussin. Oil on copper; 24 1/8 inches by 19 1/8 inches. Gift of Jon and Barbara Landau in honor of Keith Christiansen; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain
The Painting
Poussin painted “The Agony in the Garden” when he first arrived in Rome, before he established his fame as a classical artist. He was influenced by the best artists before him—the greats of the Italian Renaissance such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian, and the art of the ancient Greeks and Romans.Poussin created such a sublime scene in his painting that “agony” doesn’t first come to my mind when viewing the painting; faith, hope, and humility do.
In the nocturnal painting, Poussin depicts the moment after the Last Supper when Christ prays in Gethsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Christ knows that he’s about to be crucified. Poussin painted him in the background, but he’s the focal point of the picture. Putti hover over him as he offers a cup to heaven, via an angel. Three disciples sleep in the foreground, oblivious to their master’s imminent sacrifice.
A Copper ‘Canvas’
In the Middle Ages, artists began creating oil paintings on copper. In these types of paintings, the oil paint sat on the metal surface instead of sinking into a porous panel or canvas. Painting on copper gave artists a durable painting support that wasn’t prone to deterioration like canvas or panel, although the copper could bend, rust, or patinate.Seeing Poussin’s “The Agony in the Garden” in person, rather than via a computer or mobile screen, must be a treat as the copper would add an ethereal effect to the sacred scene.
To find out more about Nicolas Poussin’s “The Agony in the Garden” painting, visit MetMuseum.org
