Agony in the Garden

This painting references Jesus praying on the Mount of Olives in a garden called Gethsemane (Mt. 26, Mk. 14, Luke. 22). The story is told using objects and plants that would be found in a garden. 

At the composition’s center is an artichoke thistle, a common local plant which I often use to represent Christ because it has a royal purple flower surrounded by a crown of thorns. It’s leaves outstretched as if in prayer, drops of blood form. 

In the background is a garden with three stars in the sky representing the Trinity. Christ’s star is missing because He has come to Earth.  Two leaves below the stars represent Adam and Eve’s shame as they were driven from the other garden. As symbols of the old Edenic order they are passing away, now replaced by the new age of grace. 

In the foreground two stones and an apple represent the 3 disciples that accompanied Jesus but just couldn’t stay awake--the apple and the snake recall again the first garden in Eden. On the two columns flanking the landscape are written Christ’s prayer of agony and submission.Luke 22:44