A PICTURE FOR EASTERTIDE

Supper at Emmaus Caravaggio 1601

Caravaggio painted one of his most dramatic religious scenes. It depicts the Gospel Luke 24:30-31 in which, on the third day after the Crucifixion, two of Jesus’ disciples come across him on the road to Emmaus but do not recognize him after his resurrection. The Bible describes the moment they realize they are dining with Jesus: “…(he) took bread, and blessed it, and brake and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.”

He chose to depict the dramatic moment of revelation, capturing the realization and surprise on the disciples’ faces. Jesus sits at a table in the centre of the canvas, with his right arm raised, blessing the food on the table. The two disciples express their astonishment, with the one to the right raising his arms and the other to the left - his back partially to the viewer - rising from his chair in disbelief. There is another figure beside Jesus who stands and looks at him. The scene is cast in dramatic lighting, with Jesus and his two disciples’ faces illuminated, casting shadows on the wall behind them. Besides the food on the table, the rest of the composition is relatively simple, leaving the viewer to focus on the figures and their expressions.

The disciple (traditionally identified as Cleopas) on the right wears a shell as the mark of a pilgrim. His outstretched arms echo the crucifixion, and the left arm appears to stretch right out of the picture towards the viewer. This contrasts with a more restrained reaction of the other disciple on the left, whose tattered elbow is speculated to be St Luke.

Although the innkeeper in a hat stands in the path of the light, his shadow misses Christ, falling instead on the back wall. Caravaggio depicted the two disciples as ordinary, working men - as indeed they would have been - rather than idealizing their holiness. In addition to this, they show signs of their age with their ragged clothes. This only reinforces the youthful appearance of Jesus who is entirely illuminated and facing the viewer.

Peter Sellars

Coultershaw Heritage Site's 2023 season begins on Easter Sunday, 9th April, by commemorating the centenary of the fire that destroyed the old mill. Come and see the display in the Warehouse that tells the story of that awful night.

The whole site will be open from 11:00 to 4:30

On Thursday 13th April we will be holding a Wind in the Willows Family Fun Day from 10:30 to 4:00.

We will be open every Sunday from Easter to September and we have an exciting programme of events and activities planned. See website for full details: coultershaw.co.uk

Coultershaw Heritage Site, Station Road, Petworth, GU28 0JE