Christus ontmoet discipelen op weg naar Emmaüs 1534 - 1535

Georg Pencz created this delicate etching titled 'Christ meets disciples on the road to Emmaus,' in the 16th century. Pencz lived during the Protestant Reformation, a period of intense religious and social upheaval that encouraged new interpretations of the Bible. Here, Pencz illustrates a story from the Gospel of Luke, where the resurrected Christ appears to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. He walks and talks with them, but they do not recognize him until he breaks bread with them. Pencz captures the moment of revelation; the disciple on the left recoils in shock and awe. Note how Christ is subtly marked with a halo, a detail which signifies his divine identity. Pencz was part of a generation of artists who used printmaking to disseminate humanist and religious ideas. This image may serve as a meditation on faith, doubt, and the power of recognition. How does the artist invite us to reflect on our own beliefs?