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Course: The Metropolitan Museum of Art > Unit 1

Lesson 3: Devotion
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art
82nd & Fifth
Devotion
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Relief of the Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

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Met curator Charles Little on miraculous beauty in Relief of the Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, made in Amiens, Picardy, France.

Four key events in the final hours of Jesus’ life are dramatically shown here (from left to right): Peter sheathing his sword after severing the ear of Malchus (seated), the high priest’s servant; Jesus miraculously restoring the ear; Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss; and Roman soldiers arresting Jesus. The compression of these events into one scene with its complex interweaving of figural masses creates a powerful sculptural statement. 

In the medieval church the choir screen separated the nave and the choir area. By the thirteenth century these barriers often were decorated with extensive narrative themes, especially the Passion, the dramatic final events in the earthly life of Jesus. Because they hindered participation in church rituals by the laity, most European churches eventually eliminated them. The choir screen at the cathedral in Amiens was destroyed in 1755. This relief is one of the largest and best preserved narrative sculptures to survive.

View this work on metmuseum.org. 

Are you an educator? Here's a related lesson plan. For additional educator resources from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, visit Find an Educator Resource.

. Created by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Video transcript

When I first encountered this piece, it was in a dark storage area. Bringing it out into the light revealed naturalism, the beauty of the figures, even the beauty of ugliness. I saw its historical place in the history of Gothic sculpture of the thirteenth century. Through analysis of the stone itself, this proved to be linked to the great cathedral, Amiens. It was in a large architectural setting, called a choir screen, incorporated amongst other narrative scenes of the life of Christ. As you approach it, one sees the drama taking place. They have their back to you. You’re almost incorporated into this action. Within a very shallow space of about ten inches, using three layers of figures that simultaneously shows three significant events of the life of Christ--the beginning of the end of his life on Earth-- the kiss of Judas that sets into motion the soldier seizing him. Another element takes place, Simon Peter, in a moment of rage, cuts off the ear of Malchus the servant of the high priest. There’s one feature about it that is truly astonishing, and that is the fact that Judas and Christ have astonishing similar facial types. You cannot see the face of Judas; he’s in fact, identical. Amongst the violence and the chaos, Christ reaches around and miraculously brings the ear back to Malchus. You have to dissect the beauty and the tranquility and the miraculous healing power that’s taking place here, in a very compact amount of space, and showing an artist of great ingenuity. Nothing before it has really been presented in this way.