Supper at Emmaus
Rembrandt van Rijn
1648
The Bible relates the story of two disciples who travelled from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus following the death of Christ. During their travels they meet a stranger who joins them. When arriving at the town they go to an inn where Christ – for it is he – takes the bread, blesses it and breaks it. Only then do the disciples realise that the stranger is Christ risen from the dead. The divinity of Christ is revealed This scene shows the moment where the divinity of Christ is revealed to the disciples (Luke 24: 30-31). Their fright and reverence contrast sharply with the calm and serene demeanour of Christ. The painting's symbolic light With his characteristic use of symbolic light, Rembrandt lets Christ light up the dark space lit by a candle brought in by an unsuspecting kitchen hand.
SMK – National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen · Image: SMK – National Gallery of Denmark, Public domain · Text: SMK – National Gallery of Denmark (text: Lene Bøgh Rønberg) (adapted), CC0