(1599-1641), The Taking of Christ in the Olive Garden, black chalk, pen, brush and brown ink, heightened with white, partly retouched with oil paint, on laid paper, 48,3 x 40,6 cm, numbered "41.", mounted, framed, (Sch)

Provenance: Collection Fürst von Liechtenstein, No. “41.”, until 1960; L’Art Ancien S. A., Zürich, until 1963; there acquired by Michael Jaffé; Christie’s, London, 7th July 2010, Lot 339 (as follower of Van Dyck).

Exhibited: Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Jacob Jordaens 1593–1678, 30th November 1968 – 5th January 1969, Cat. No. 144 (as Jacob Jordaens.)

Literature: M. Jaffé, “Jordaens Drawings at Antwerp and Rotterdam”, Burlington Magazine CVIII, 1966, p. 626, No. 13; J. Held,”Jordaens at Ottawa”, Burlington Magazine, CXI, May 1969, p. 267; C. Brown, “Van Dyck catalogue of drawings”, Antwerp 1991, No. 34, p. 143, in comparison with the painting “The Betrayal of Christ” in the Museo del Prado; S. J. Barnes, N. de Poorter, O. Millar, H. Vey, “Van Dyck A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2004, Cat. I.20, Fig. 36 (illustration of the painting in the Prado).

Van Dyck dealt with the topic of the present drawing in several studies towards the the end of his Antwerp period before 1623. Three paintings of this subject exist by him: a large composition in Corsham Court (on loan at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery), a painting in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Inv. 57.45) and a painting in the Prado (Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, Inv. 1477). The drawing may have been executed in preparation of the latter one. The „Arrest“ in the Prado, which resembles the composition in Minneapolis was once kept in the collection of Rubens and later was acquired by King Philipp IV of Spain.

The history of the formation of the different versions, which differ above all in format and physiognomy of Christ, is well known through several preliminary drawings and oil studies by Van Dyck including seven drafts for the overall composition and three detail studies: one for the group of Peter and Malchus, one for the group of sleeping apostles and a study in black chalk for the figure of Malchus. The chronology of the genesis of the three versions has not yet been clearly identified: The painting in the Prado, which is the most monumental of the three compositions (344 x 249 cm) may be the latest version. It was comissioned by Rubens for a religious institution. Hitherto three preliminary studies are known for the painting in the Prado: a dynamic pen sketch with brown wash of the entire composition with Christ, Judas and the henchmen is preserved in the Albertina (Inv. 17537), a study for Petrus and Malchus in the Hamburger Kunsthalle (Inv. 21882) and a study for Malchus in Rhode Island, School of Design (Inv. 20.443). The present drawing may have been a modello for the final version in the Prado, which may have been executed in the studio of van Dyck. Apart from the almost identical likeness of the study and the painting one can observe an interesting detail: In the executed version Malchus has his eyes closed, which leads to the conclusion that our study was drawn after the one in Rhode Island.

Van Dyck is describing the betrayal in the moment of Judas‘ kiss and the arrest of Christ in the olive garden with utmost intensity. Contrary to the dynamic scene Christ is radiating great silence in the center of the composition. He is emphasized by the dark garment, the shade of his figure and the calm posture. In contrast the soldiers and Judas who are leaning forward to Christ in order to kiss him are accentuated by strong lighting. The gaze of the onlooker is directed along a diagonal line from lower left to the upper right, which becomes even more obvious and clear in the modello‘s strong chiaroscuro. The other studies for the painting show a similar dramatic sense for a light and dark contrast. In van Dyck’s early draftmanship the present composition represents a climax. It unfolds a pictorial setting full of drama and of a narrative with psychological insight.

Provenance: Collection Fürst von Liechtenstein, No. “41.”, until 1960; L’Art Ancien S. A., Zürich, until 1963; there acquired by Michael Jaffé; Christie’s, London, 7th July 2010, Lot 339 (as follower of Van Dyck).

Exhibited: Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Jacob Jordaens 1593–1678, 30th November 1968 – 5th January 1969, Cat. No. 144 (as Jacob Jordaens.)

Literature: M. Jaffé, “Jordaens Drawings at Antwerp and Rotterdam”, Burlington Magazine CVIII, 1966, p. 626, No. 13; J. Held,”Jordaens at Ottawa”, Burlington Magazine, CXI, May 1969, p. 267; C. Brown, “Van Dyck catalogue of drawings”, Antwerp 1991, No. 34, p. 143, in comparison with the painting “The Betrayal of Christ” in the Museo del Prado; S. J. Barnes, N. de Poorter, O. Millar, H. Vey, “Van Dyck A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2004, Cat. I.20, Fig. 36 (illustration of the painting in the Prado).

Van Dyck dealt with the topic of the present drawing in several studies towards the the end of his Antwerp period before 1623. Three paintings of this subject exist by him: a large composition in Corsham Court (on loan at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery), a painting in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Inv. 57.45) and a painting in the Prado (Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, Inv. 1477). The drawing may have been executed in preparation of the latter one. The „Arrest“ in the Prado, which resembles the composition in Minneapolis was once kept in the collection of Rubens and later was acquired by King Philipp IV of Spain. The history of the formation of the different versions, which differ above all in format and physiognomy of Christ, is well known through several preliminary drawings and oil studies by Van Dyck including seven drafts for the overall composition and three detail studies: one for the group of Peter and Malchus, one for the group of sleeping apostles and a study in black chalk for the figure of Malchus. The chronology of the genesis of the three versions has not yet been clearly identified: The painting in the Prado, which is the most monumental of the three compositions (344 x 249 cm) may be the latest version. It was comissioned by Rubens for a religious institution. Hitherto three preliminary studies are known for the painting in the Prado: a dynamic pen sketch with brown wash of the entire composition with Christ, Judas and the henchmen is preserved in the Albertina (Inv. 17537), a study for Petrus and Malchus in the Hamburger Kunsthalle (Inv. 21882) and a study for Malchus in Rhode Island, School of Design (Inv. 20.443). The present drawing may have been a modello for the final version in the Prado, which may have been executed in the studio of van Dyck. Apart from the almost identical likeness of the study and the painting one can observe an interesting detail: In the executed version Malchus has his eyes closed, which leads to the conclusion that our study was drawn after the one in Rhode Island. Van Dyck is describing the betrayal in the moment of Judas‘ kiss and the arrest of Christ in the olive garden with utmost intensity. Contrary to the dynamic scene Christ is radiating great silence in the center of the composition. He is emphasized by the dark garment, the shade of his figure and the calm posture. In contrast the soldiers and Judas who are leaning forward to Christ in order to kiss him are accentuated by strong lighting. The gaze of the onlooker is directed along a diagonal line from lower left to the upper right, which becomes even more obvious and clear in the modello‘s strong chiaroscuro. The other studies for the painting show a similar dramatic sense for a light and dark contrast. In van Dyck’s early draftmanship the present composition represents a climax. It unfolds a pictorial setting full of drama and of a narrative with psychological insight.