1623, Diego Velazquez, The Supper at Emmaus (detail) -- Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
From the museum label: Sculptural forms and opaque, planar layers of paint characterize Velázquez's early work, executed in his native city of Seville and immediately after his arrival in Madrid in 1623. During this period, Velázquez frequently painted models with rustic, unidealized features, following the innovations of the Italian painter Caravaggio, whose tightly structured, half- length narrative subjects might also have given inspiration to this composition. According to the Bible, after Christ's resurrection he was recognized by two disciples: this subject provided Velázquez an opportunity to explore contrasts in reactions through gesture, expression, and dramatic lighting. He also made a point of showing off his skill at still life, particularly in the carefully observed tablecloth.
Link to the full painting.
1623, Diego Velazquez, The Supper at Emmaus (detail) -- Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
From the museum label: Sculptural forms and opaque, planar layers of paint characterize Velázquez's early work, executed in his native city of Seville and immediately after his arrival in Madrid in 1623. During this period, Velázquez frequently painted models with rustic, unidealized features, following the innovations of the Italian painter Caravaggio, whose tightly structured, half- length narrative subjects might also have given inspiration to this composition. According to the Bible, after Christ's resurrection he was recognized by two disciples: this subject provided Velázquez an opportunity to explore contrasts in reactions through gesture, expression, and dramatic lighting. He also made a point of showing off his skill at still life, particularly in the carefully observed tablecloth.
Link to the full painting.