In the Garden

This past week in Dublin, Ireland over St. Patrick's Day, I had the opportunity to look inside the National Gallery in Dublin. There were many beautiful paintings by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso and other amazing artists, but one portrait that caught my eye was by Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio. The painting was of Judas betraying Jesus and the guards taking him under arrest in the garden. 

The painting tells a narrative through each person's facial expressions, eyes, and body language. The view was straight on, but in the center was a Roman soldier's back with armor on his body. It was painted in a way that the audience feels like they are a bystander of the arrest of Jesus. The moon was the only thing lighting the painting, except for one man in the background who was holding a lamp. The moonlight's shimmering glow was shiny on the soldier's armor. Caravaggio's use of light and darkness in the composition is beautifully put together. The highlighting of people's faces, the clothing, the setting of the garden in the darkness all create an extremely dramatic effect on this painting filled with story. 

This painting provoked thought about what it would be like to be standing in the garden when Jesus was arrested. How he so willing let them take him away, even though he had done no wrong. Also, I thought about what made Judas want to betray Jesus. 30 pieces of silver would not be enough for me personally to betray someone that I loved- but I know that there are other ways that I turn my back on friends and on Jesus.  I really enjoyed walking through the National Portrait Gallery in Dublin and seeing Caravaggio's artwork.