The Betrayal • Old Holland Oil on Belgian Linen • 140x120cm (55"x48") • Finalist 56th Blake Prize for Religious Art 07
more

The Betrayal

The boxer’s trainer (Judas) betrays him by approaching him from behind, in the dark he softly whispers in his ear, "The fight is set, take the fall in the 12th round". The shock of the encounter is sharper, a literal "back stab".

'The Betrayal' is inspired by Velasquez’s work The Surrender of Breda. The emotional content is conveyed through the depiction of a faint figure in the dark whispering to Jesus that He has been condemned. This moving image pre-empts the inevitable.

The artist departs from the traditional image of the betrayal by excluding the arrest. The posse of the betrayer is abstracted with the dripping golden, flaming, vibrant colours symbolising the torches approaching - the arrest.

Art Ref: Velasquez, The Surrender of Breda, Rubens, Ecco Homo (Behold the Man), Veronese, Christ addressing a kneeling woman

Symbols, colours, iconography used:

Fish & Anchor: A sign of purity, wisdom, fertility and resurrection. Singlet; bears the logo of the Fish. This was a very common symbol in early Christian art.

Gesture: One hand is shown open with three fingers extended, which is the symbol of Trinity. The other hand is raised, with the palm facing outward, which is symbolic of the blessing of God.

Gospel: Then, while [Jesus] was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "the man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. Mark 14: 43-46