Supper at EmmausCaravaggio · 1601
Acrylic On Canvas- WallArt
- Baroque Dramatic Intensity
1601- Early Medieval
141.0 x 196.0 cm
National Gallery
On the third day after the Crucifixion two of Jesus’s disciples were walking to Emmaus when they met the resurrected Christ. They failed to recognise him, but that evening at supper he ‘... took bread, and blessed it, and brake and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight’ (Luke 24: 30–31).Painted at the height of Caravaggio’s fame, this is among his most impressive domestic religious pictures. He brilliantly captures the dramatic climax of the story, the moment when the disciples suddenly see what has been in front of them all along. Their actions convey their astonishment: one is about to leap out of his chair while the other throws out his arms in a gesture of disbelief. The stark lighting underlines the dramatic intensity of the scene.Typically for Caravaggio, he has shown the disciples as ordinary working men, with bearded, lined faces and ragged clothes, in contrast to the youthful beardless Christ, who seems to have come from a different world.
Caravaggio (1571 – 1610)
Baroque master Caravaggio defined tenebrism with works like Cardsharps. Discover the dramatic power of his revolutionary realism today.
National Gallery (London, United Kingdom)
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About this artwork
- Title: Supper at Emmaus
- Artist: Caravaggio
- Year: 1601
- Original dimensions: 141.0 x 196.0 cm
- Format: Landscape
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Where to see it: National Gallery
- Period: Early Medieval
- Medium type: WallArt
- Corpus context: dramatic narrative, caravaggio legacy
Questions & Answers
How does "Supper at Emmaus" balance light and dark?
"Supper at Emmaus" is deep_shadow overall, and its luminance is dark.
When was "Supper at Emmaus" created, and to which movement does it belong?
"Supper at Emmaus" was made in 1601, within the Baroque Dramatic Intensity movement.
What are the medium and date of "Supper at Emmaus" by Caravaggio?
"Supper at Emmaus" was created in 1601 using the acrylic on canvas technique. Material and date describe how and when the original was made.