Emmaüsgangers c. 1550 - 1650

"Emmaüsgangers" is an anonymous line engraving. The work depicts the biblical story of two disciples meeting a resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus, without recognizing him. What interests me most is how such works were viewed in a society deeply shaped by religious beliefs and moral codes. It evokes questions about power, faith, and visibility. In times of religious reform, such as the Reformation, images such as these were caught up in the debates about the role of religious imagery. Some saw them as tools for education, while others viewed them as potential idols. Who had access to these images? How did their social class or education affect their interpretation? The emotional and experiential aspects of this image surely varied depending on who was looking. This engraving encourages us to consider how an artwork can act as a site of both personal devotion and public discourse, as well as how it reflects the tensions and anxieties of its time.