Supper at Emaus by Caravaggio

PAINTING CARD

Title/name: "Supper at Emaus"
Author: Caravaggio
Year: 1601
Style: Italian baroque
Technique: Oil and tempera on canvas
Location: National Portrait Gallery, London.
General description: It is represented some people having dinner dinner. They are Christ and some of their disciples.


INTRODUCTION

This piece is called "Supper at Emaus". It is represented by Caravaggio in 1601. Caravaggio was an Italian painter who did not follow the Renaissance topics and he was one of the most important painters of the Baroque. The Baroque was an artistic style which was developed in Italy at the end of the 16th century, the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. This style was diffentent in each country, in Catholic countries was related with the Counter-Reformation and the style was very decorated and in Protestant countries  the style was more austere with less decoration so, related to the historical contest, during this period art was used to show the religion of the country. 


ANALYSIS

The piece represents a part of the Bible, in which appear Christ doing the sacrament of Eucharist and some of their disciples around him.
The technique used is the oil and tempera on canvas panels. 
There are escorzo, this is the representation of a figure located oblique or perpedicular to the plane.
The picture is dark and only are iluminated the faces of people and Christ. This shows the Chiaroscuro,  the contrasts in light and shade to highlight a specific point. Also, the Tenebrism, the contrast of light created by Caravaggio, it was one of the main styles of the baroque. It was showed in more famous pieces such as Death of the Virgin or The Crucifixion of Saint Petter. It is also showed the proportion, the naturalism and the realism typically of the Baroque, we can see the expressiveness in the face of the people. There is exacerbated naturalism, this means that it is so natural that it represents all the aspects although there are bad aspects.
Also we can see the Theatrically combining figures and artistc characteristics to form a scene.
The composition is symmetrical, Christ is in the center of the piece.
It has religious function because it is a part of the Bible. The story said that the disciples did not know that Christ was with them and when he did the sacrament of the Eucharist they perceived it and Christ disappeared.


CONCLUSION

In conclusion, one of the most important religious pieces of art of Caravaggio and Baroque. I l like this picture and the thing I like the most is the way of highlight the parts of the piece that Caravaggio wants using the Chiaroscuro. 
He was the creator of the Tenebrism and his style was followed by other painters during the Baroque.