Who painted The supper at Emmaus?

The supper at Emmaus was painted by Jan Steen in 1666-01-01.

Where can I see The supper at Emmaus?

The supper at Emmaus is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is The supper at Emmaus?

The supper at Emmaus is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of The supper at Emmaus?

Museum-quality prints of The supper at Emmaus are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The supper at Emmaus

Jan Steen , 1666

The supper at Emmaus is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1666 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts the Supper at Emmaus, a New Testament episode in which the resurrected Jesus Christ reveals his identity to two disciples during a shared meal at the village of Emmaus. Rendered as religious art, the scene centers on this moment of recognition, with Christ as the principal figure around whom the disciples and the meal are arranged.

The work belongs to a long iconographic tradition of portraying this episode, in which the act of breaking bread signals the disciples' sudden awareness of Christ's divine nature. By treating the subject in a religious genre painting, Jan Steen engages with the standard symbolic vocabulary of the Emmaus theme: the table, the shared food, and the gesture of blessing as markers of revelation and faith.

Technique & Style

The painting’s surface shows craquelure consistent with age, though overall condition remains stable as documented by the Rijksmuseum.

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 134 cm by 104 cm. It depicts the biblical scene of the Supper at Emmaus and was created in 1666 by Jan Steen. The composition emphasizes narrative clarity and naturalistic detail typical of Dutch Golden Age religious genre painting, with careful rendering of figures and domestic space. The painting’s surface shows craquelure consistent with age, though overall condition remains stable as documented by the Rijksmuseum.

History & Provenance

Painted in 1666, Jan Steen’s Supper at Emmaus depicts the biblical scene after the Resurrection. The work entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of the collection of Gijsbert de Clercq, who owned it prior to its transfer to the museum. The painting has remained in the Rijksmuseum collection since that acquisition, where it is currently located.

The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to the Wikidata record, it is associated with the former owner Gijsbert de Clercq, who bequeathed his collection to the museum. No accession number, date of acquisition, or exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

Overview

Jan Steen’s 1666 oil on canvas, titled The Supper at Emmaus, presents a modest interior scene in which four figures share a simple meal. The composition is anchored by a stone floor and warm, muted tones that give the room a domestic feel. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it is displayed among other Dutch Golden Age paintings.