Supper at Emmaus
1480
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1480
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see three men at a wooden table in a dim inn—two disciples and a stranger they don’t yet recognize as Christ. A maid brings bread and wine while the stranger breaks the bread, his hands raised in blessing. This moment is quiet but electric: the disciples’ faces show sudden shock as they realize who sits with them. Van Meckenem carved this scene into metal, not painted it, so every line is sharp and clear. The print was cheap to make and easy to share, spreading the story across Germany. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how other artists used light and shadow to heighten drama like this.
