Christ at Emmaus 1688 - 1694

Hans Georg Asam created this pen and brown ink drawing, Christ at Emmaus, sometime between 1649 and 1711. The image depicts a story from the Gospel of Luke in which the resurrected Christ appears to two of his disciples at a table. It offers a window into the religious and artistic culture of southern Germany during the Baroque era, when the Catholic Church was a dominant force in society and art served as a means of reinforcing religious beliefs and values. Asam's drawing uses light and shadow to create a dramatic effect, drawing the viewer's eye to the figure of Christ at the center of the composition. The setting may be a reference to contemporary dining halls, and the objects on the table reflect the importance of food and hospitality in the life of the Church. Art historians use a range of research resources to understand artworks like this one, from archival documents to theological treatises. These sources help us understand the social conditions that shape artistic production, and to appreciate the complex relationship between art, religion, and society in the Baroque era.