Mount of Olives group


In Christian art, a Mount of Olives group is a sculptural representation of the biblical scene where Jesus prays with his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before his crucifixion. These representations often strived for realistic details with entire landscapes including rocks, fences, trees, and life-size figures of the kneeling Savior, the sleeping disciples, and the approaching henchmen were constructed in front of or inside churches.
These ensembles were part of the new phase of "the Gothic tendency to visualize salvation" of the late 15th century and were particularly popular in the German-speaking regions of Northern Europe in the 15th century.

Description and iconography

The Mount of Olives scene is mentioned several times in the Gospels and generally reflected in visual arts as "Agony in the Garden".
The sculptural group functions as a stationary, three-dimensional tableau. It usually consists of a kneeling figure of Jesus in prayer and figures of the sleeping disciples Peter, John, and James. It also typically includes an Angel, who strengthens Jesus in his agony and simultaneously holds a chalice, which is the figurative object of his prayer. In the context of the Rosary, the specific mystery associated with this scene is "Jesus, who sweat blood for us".
The figures often possess distinct iconographic attributes: Jesus is typically depicted kneeling, often wearing a simple tunic, Peter usually has a short beard, a bald head, and holds a book; he may also hold a sword or a key. background figures are larger ensembles sometimes including figures of Judas and Roman soldiers made at a smaller scale to indicate approach from the distance for the coming arrest.
The staging of these groups could vary from simple painted niches to elaborate mise-en-scène environments. These might include landscape elements and physical props such as dried plants, clothing, or weapons to enhance the realism of the narrative.

History of the representation

Mount of Olives groups originated as places of devotion in the Christian lands after the ideas of the Crusades had been abandoned and access to the original sites in the Holy Land had become difficult following the Islamic conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
By around 1500, almost every Catholic parish church in Central Europe possessed a Mount of Olives group, either as a relief or a fully three-dimensional sculpture. The group was typically set up on the south side or the cemetery side of the church to serve as a theme of admonition and comfort. Placing these groups in exterior alcoves exposed them to the elements; consequently, terracotta became a popular medium for these sculptures in Franconia, the Middle Rhine, and the Alpine regions during the 15th century due to its durability compared to wood and ease of production compared to stone.
The sculptures were also preserved on the exterior walls of Protestant churches in the post-Reformation period, as they were not counted among what the Reformers termed "idols".
After 1750, Stations of the Cross representations increasingly replaced Mount of Olives groups in Catholic areas. In the 1950s, many of these folk art works were removed. Recently, the tradition of the Mount of Olives group has seen a revival.

Notable Mount of Olives groups