The Betrayal of Christ, Scene depicting Christ on the night he was betrayed. Judas leans in to kiss Christ in order to exploit him. The angry mob of Sanhedrin follow close behind, ready to arrest Jesus. In the foreground, Saint Peter is shown smiting Malchus, the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear. At the upper right of the painting, an owl flies directly over the kiss of Judas, signifying the nocturnal hour of the meeting as well as symbolizing evil (representing living in darkness/sin)., 1618-1620

 Item — Box: 263
Identifier: spc-mss0088-s36-i0659

Staff Only
The Betrayal of Christ, Scene depicting Christ on the night he was betrayed. Judas leans in to kiss Christ in order to exploit him. The angry mob of Sanhedrin follow close behind, ready to arrest Jesus. In the foreground, Saint Peter is shown smiting Malchus, the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear. At the upper right of the painting, an owl flies directly over the kiss of Judas, signifying the nocturnal hour of the meeting as well as symbolizing evil (representing living in darkness/sin).

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Scope and Contents

Vanderbilt photo identifier: SC.MSS.088.FLEM.0628; Public Notes: This is one of Van Dyck's most famous compositions. Three other versions of this painting exist, all painted by Van Dyck exist.

Dates

  • Creation: 1618-1620

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Special Collections in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Collections should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting in order to facilitate easier access. For questions or to request a collection, contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.

Biographical / Historical

Subjects: Judas; Lanterns; Religious Subjects; Betrayal of Christ; Swords; Owls; Saint Peter; Mobs; Jesus Christ; Weapons; Malchus; Crowds; School: Flemish; Style period: Baroque; Technique: painting (technique); Work type: paintings

Full Extent

1 Items : Image Work Type: photographic print ; Image height (in.): 10.1; Image width (in.): 7.2in.

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

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