Supper at Emmaus (Caravaggio), London

The Supper at Emmaus by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is a painting from 1601, which is located at the National Gallery in London. It was painted for the Roman aristocracy Ciriaco Mattei, and later bought by Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese. A later heavily modified version dates from 1606 and is located at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan.

Topic

The image the underlying story comes from the Gospel of Luke and takes place after Christ's resurrection on the day. Two disciples are on the way to the village of Emmaus, when they met Jesus. This was their first meeting following his arrest. Caravaggio represents the moment is where the resurrected Jesus two disciples are (probably Luke and Cleophas ) to recognize: "And it came to pass, as he sat at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to them. and their eyes were opened and they recognized him. and he disappeared before them "(Luke 24:30-31 ). At the time of Caravaggio these Bible episode was interpreted as an archetype of the Eucharistic blessing.

The disciple to the right side bears a scallop on the garment, the pilgrim character, which allows among other things, identifying him as James the Greater. The other disciples did on a holey jacket. The gesture of the right disciple practically bursting the frame the perspective view - his arms are open normal in an axis to the image plane. The standing host observes the scene, but shows little emotion.

Execution

The rare presentation of Jesus without a beard may be traced back to the early Christ pictures, which were discovered to Caravaggio's time. Even Michelangelo, who was a great role model for Caravaggio, has already painted the beardless Jesus in his fresco " The Last Judgment " in the Sistine Chapel. Unusually at presentation is also the dark background and the detailed executed still life in the foreground. The clergy of that time was outraged about the realistic representation of the people of Caravaggio, especially the poor appearance of the disciples.

Typical of Caravaggio 's use of light incidence as a dramatic element ( Chiaroscuro ). The eye is drawn to the illuminated faces of Jesus and James. As in the perspective of the hands Lukas ' image logic is overridden here - the landlord would like the objects darken on the table, throw a drop shadow to the right and thus Jesus. Instead, we see his shadow diagonally behind him on the wall.

Caravaggio painted in 1606, a second version of the Supper at Emmaus. Compared to the first version of the Figures are redeemed, the presence dominates over the dynamics of the movements.

Interpretation

The standing host forms with its restrained pose the psychological contrast to the disciples staggered in astonishment. He probably represents the skepticism of an unbeliever. However, the art historian ask for the conception of this figure down a certain ambivalence: His shadow forms a circle around Jesus' head, causing the host seems to emphasize the sanctity of the Messiah unknowingly.

The still life in the foreground takes up the central message of the image. The bad apples and figs symbolize the original sin. In contrast, the pomegranate is a well known symbol of the resurrection of Christ, and salvation from sin.

Versions of other painters

  • Juan de Flandes (1465-1519): The Supper at Emmaus. 1497th
  • Juan de Flandes (1465-1519): The Supper at Emmaus. 1512.
  • Jacopo da Pontormo (1494-1557): Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus. 1525th oil on canvas, Florence, Uffizi Gallery (presumably based on a template by Albrecht Dürer and in their realism is a precursor to the first Caravaggio version).
  • Cavarozzi Bartolomeo (1590-1625): The meal at Emmaus. ( Caravaggio version of a student at the Getty Museum ).
  • Jacopo Bassano (1510-1592): The Supper at Emmaus. 1538th oil on canvas, 235 x 250 cm ( a mannerist version in which the surprise rather in the face of the cat sees the dog, as is to be found in the faces of the disciples. Again, the atmosphere is much less poor ).
  • Titian ( 1488/90-1576 ): The Pilgrims of Emmaus. 16th century, oil on canvas, 169 × 244 cm, Louvre, Paris ( it also shows cat and dog.
  • Paolo Veronese (1528-1588): The Supper at Emmaus. 1559/60, Paris, Louvre.
  • Pedro Orrente (1580-1645): Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus. 17th century, oil on canvas, 81 × 101 cm, Budapest, Museum of Fine Arts )
  • Velazquez (1599-1660): Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus. 17th century, oil on canvas, 123 × 132.6 cm New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Mathieu Le Nain (1607-1677): The Pilgrims of Emmaus. 17th century, 75 cm × 92 cm, Paris, Louvre)
  • Rembrandt (1606-1669): Christ at Emmaus. 1629th
  • Rembrandt (1606-1669): The Supper at Emmaus. 1648, oil on wood, Louvre Museum, Paris, ( a classic appearance with a halo around Jesus face.
  • Eugène Delacroix (1809-1868): The Supper at Emmaus. 1853.
  • Pierre Jouffroy (1912-2000): The Pilgrims of Emmaus. Voujeaucourt, Church of St. Michel
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament Bartolomeo Cavarozzi
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