Jesus blesses bread at a white-clothed table, between two seated men, with an innkeeper and an old woman standing behind

Supper at Emmaus

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What you see

Five figures gather at a table laid with a white cloth over a rug. Jesus, at the center and facing us, raises his right hand above the bread. Two seated men at either end, one seen from behind and one in profile, watch him closely. Behind them, an innkeeper in a white cap and an old woman carrying a plate look on in silence.

The background is nearly black, and light from the left falls on the tablecloth, hands and faces. The colors are muted: browns, deep greens and rough whites. On the table sit two loaves, a dish of greens and a metal jug. Notice the hands of the man on the right, resting on the table’s edge, and the old woman’s wrinkles, painted with great care.

About Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi, called Caravaggio after his family’s home town, painted scenes as if they were happening on a dark stage lit by a spotlight. He used ordinary people from the street as models, which was very daring at the time. His use of light and shadow inspired painters all over Europe.

All 12 works by Caravaggio