Καλοκαίρι 1969, Ιταλία. Ένα χρόνο μετά τον Μάη του '68, οι εργάτες της ΦΙΑΤ ξεκινούν ένα δυναμικό και αδιαμεσολάβητο απεργιακό αγώνα ενάντια στην πανίσχυρη εργοδοσία. Ο αγώνας τους αποτέλεσε την απαρχή μιας δεκαετίας εργατικών και φοιτητικών κινητοποιήσεων όπου πρωταγωνίστησε το κίνημα της Αυτονομίας και που χαρακτηρίστηκε από πολλούς ως η τελευταία έφοδος της εργατικής τάξης στον ουρανό. Τελευταία... ας ελπίσουμε μέχρι την επόμενη...
Πρόκειται για κάποια αντίγραφα έργων του El Greco. Τα δυο μεγαλύτερα (The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, 1590 (50x60cm) και St. Francis (50x70cm) ) είναι φτιαγμένα με ελαιοχρώματα (σε καμβά και χαρτί αντίστοιχα) ενώ τα υπόλοιπα τρία (με μέγεθος περίπου 30x40cm) είναι φτιαγμένα με τέμπερα σε χαρτί.
Agony in the Garden
Realism gives way to the opposite extreme in this fantastic vision of a Spanish mystic. Figures and landscape are distorted, far removed from nature in shape, lighting, color and texture. But unlike ordinary dream pictures, it is organized, consistently directed to a purpose, not a mere extravagant jumble. As representation, it gives clearly enough the essentials of a story that was familiar and moving in the intensely religious age of the Inquisition. But of greater interest now is the striking design of diagonal planes and vivid colors. In composition it is one of the latest of several different treatments of this theme, in which Greco sought more and more compression and simplification, the gathering together of scattered parts, the bringing out of main features with greater emphasis. In earlier versions, for example, the sleeping disciples were large, nearby and comparatively detached from the rest of the design. Here Christ and the angel are large and bold, in slashing angular strokes, while around them swirl twisting ovals of cloud. Smaller parts echo the diagonal swirling and crisscross motion of the larger ones. The painting is all in terms of pure color, not of light and line with color added on the surface. Again in contrast with the sombre Van Eyck, it flares with a lurid phosphorescent glow of changing colors, crimson, blue-green and golden yellow. Their clashing excitement is in harmony with the rhythm of movement, and with the general spirit of ecstatic drama. (info by oldandsold.com)
Christ kneels in the centre; at the upper left an angel appears to him with a cup, a reference to his forthcoming Passion. In the background on the left are the sleeping apostles - Peter, James the Greater and John; on the right Judas approaches with soldiers.
The painting is a synthesis of varying accounts of the Agony in the Gospels and is probably a workshop replica of a painting in the Museum of Toledo (Ohio). There are also several authentic vertical versions of this composition.
(Info by nationalgallery.org.uk)
