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What does Giotto’s The Betrayal of Christ show?

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Giotto: Lamentation — Giotto *Lamentation*, fresco by Giotto, 1303–05; in the Arena Chapel, Padua, Italy.

Giotto’s The Betrayal of Christ (1304–1306), located on the south wall of the Arena Chapel in Padua, is a central fresco depicting the moment Judas Iscariot identifies Jesus to soldiers with a kiss.

The scene is defined by the intense, psychologically charged confrontation between the two protagonists. Shown in profile, Judas looks directly into the eyes of Christ, who returns the gaze with an unflinching expression of humility and compassion rather than indifference or revulsion. By portraying Christ in this manner, Giotto establishes him as a symbol of moral certitude amidst the surrounding deceit and betrayal.1

The fresco also includes the figures of Peter and the soldier Malchus to the left of the main pair, referencing the biblical account where Peter cuts off the soldier's ear. While this secondary action is present, it remains subordinate to the primary emotional encounter between Christ and his betrayer.1