Wikipedia, Public domain
It’s a risk that the artist takes because he doesn’t have any orders. He paints by personal choice. This idea may appear surprising, because the size of the work is considerable: 5 meters by 3.4 meters. Inevitably this results in significant costs for the painter, with no assurance that it will subsequently be purchased. In 1844, the painting, made with oil paint, was presented in Paris, at the Salon, where it caused a sensation. The innovative way of treating the subject and the monumental character attract attention… and the interest of the royal administration, we are under the reign of the King of the French, Louis-Philippe I.
However, it was not until 1848 that the Ministry of the Interior took enough interest in it to acquire it and deposit it in Sainte-Marie de Souillac. This former Benedictine abbey from the 12th century has suffered the ravages of History, like many places of worship and monasteries. Ruined and ransacked several times during the Hundred Years’ War, then during the Wars of Religion, it was sold as national property during the Revolution. It became a college for a time, then saw its buildings transformed into a place to store tobacco leaves before finding a parish vocation under the 1st Empire. The choice to deposit this masterpiece by Chassériau in Souillac remains a mystery.
A serene and forgiving Christ
Nearly two hundred years later, it is still in this place that the faithful and visitors can contemplate this Christ, who seems so forgiving of human weaknesses. In the garden of Gethsemane, in the pale glow of the moon, Jesus discovers Peter, James and John sleeping. “When he returned to the disciples, he again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy with sleep” (Mt 26:43). On the left, in the background, we can see the troop of armed men, led by Judas, who comes to arrest him. Jesus is about to announce to those who are sleeping: “Rise! Let’s go ! Behold, he who delivers me is near. » (Mt 26:46)
