Caravaggio 2 (afternoon)

2. Recognition: Supper at Emmaus
Success came when Caravaggio decorated a chapel in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, just round the corner from where he was living, with three paintings of the life of St Matthew.  He was recognised at last, and the commissions flowed in, including for a painting which would be among his greatest: The Supper at Emmaus – in which, ironically enough, it takes some time for Jesus to be recognised. Employing the skills we explored in the first talk to bring this narrative to life, the resulting drama is not only the full realisation of his mature style, but also an elegant statement of Baroque art.