Supper at Emmaus by Jacopo Carucci (Portormo)
Supper at Emmaus by Jacopo Carucci (Portormo)
Supper at Emmaus by Jacopo Carucci (Pontormo) exemplifies the artist’s mature style, marked by a dynamic, restless approach that diverged from his earlier work. Born in the Tuscan town of Pontormo, Jacopo Carucci received his training under Piero di Cosimo and Mariotto Albertinelli in Florence before joining Andrea del Sarto’s workshop, where he collaborated with Rosso Fiorentino. While his early work reflected his master’s thoughtful classicism and a close study of Michelangelo’s models, Pontormo’s later style was deeply influenced by northern European art, especially Dürer’s prints. This shift introduced fresh tension in both composition and psychology, characteristics that became more prominent in his later works and symbolized the height of Mannerism.
In 1523, Pontormo withdrew to the Galluzzo Charterhouse in order to escape the disease that was destroying Florence. There, he created a sequence of frescoes that depicted the Passion of Christ on the lunettes of the main cloister. He was given a commission to make a sizable panel for the guest quarters after finishing this cycle. The appearance of Christ to the Apostles, as related in the Gospel of Luke (24:13–35), is depicted in this picture. Following his resurrection, Jesus encounters two disciples while posing as a traveler on the road to Emmaus, which is close to Jerusalem. It’s only during mealtime that they acknowledge him, when he breaks and blesses the bread.
Dürer’s engraving of the same subject from his Small Passion series served as the model for the painting. The composition features Christ at the middle, breaking bread while the disciples instantly identify him. A beam of light shines on his face. With realistic elements like a metal jug, glasses, and a dog and cat waiting beneath for crumbs, the table is effortlessly put up.
The charterhouse monks can be seen in the backdrop, observing this holy occasion. One of them, the old previous Leonardo Buonafede, is shown to Christ’s right. The original representation of a three-faced Trinity, which was outlawed during the Counter-Reformation, was covered over by the divine eye at the top, which represents God the Father inside a triangle.
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