Caravaggio 2 (afternoon)
£10
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.