Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet

Garofalo

National Gallery of Art

Twelve people are gathered along a stone bench as a thirteenth, kneeling person washes the foot of a man seated in the center of the group in this horizontal painting. All the people have pale skin and wear togas and robes in ruby red, parakeet green, sky blue, pale lilac purple, or pumpkin orange. A faint gold halo encircles each head except for one person, near the lower right. At the center of the painting, the kneeling person, Jesus, faces our right in profile. He has blond, shoulder-length ringlets and a pointed beard. He wears a red, gold-trimmed robe over a white garment. He holds the lower leg of a seated man at the center of the group, and washes the foot in a gold-colored basin. That seated man looks down at Jesus, one hand flat against his own chest. He has short, curly white hair and a full beard. Other people sit and stand along the bench, which spans the width of the composition. Most have beards and look toward Jesus. One is cleanshaven and stands near the left edge of the painting. Another cleanshaven person sits just behind Jesus. A sheer veil is tucked into the squared neckline of that person’s garment, and the front is vertically pleated. The man without the halo sits near the lower right corner, and he looks at us as he points toward Jesus. He has a brown beard and short hair, and a pouch is tucked into the band tied around his orange robe. The floor in front of the group is cream white, as is the bench, which curves in a shallow U shape in front of us. A parchment-white stone building rises immediately behind the group, with columns rising off the top edge.