The Disciples at Emmaus - Claude Augustin Duflos

A detailed 18th-century engraving by Claude Augustin Duflos, reproducing Paolo Veronese's biblical scene of the supper at Emmaus.

This engraving by Claude Augustin Duflos reproduces the composition of the same name by the Venetian master Paolo Veronese. The work depicts the biblical narrative of the supper at Emmaus, where the resurrected Christ reveals his identity to two disciples through the act of breaking bread. Duflos, a skilled French engraver, captures the theatricality and spatial depth characteristic of Veronese's original painting, which was held in the collection of the Duc d'Orléans during the eighteenth century.

The composition is structured around the central figure of Christ, whose raised hand and upward gaze draw the viewer into the moment of recognition. To his left and right, the disciples react with astonishment and reverence. The scene is populated by additional figures, including a child with a dog in the foreground and an attendant near a doorway, which adds a sense of domestic scale to the miraculous event. The use of light and shadow is managed through precise hatching and cross-hatching techniques, which translate the tonal values of the original oil painting into a monochromatic medium. The architectural elements, such as the column and the tiled floor, provide a stable geometric framework for the figures.

Duflos was known for his technical proficiency in translating paintings into print, a common practice for disseminating knowledge of major European collections during the period. This print serves as a record of the Orléans collection, which was one of the most significant private art holdings in Europe before its dispersal. The inclusion of the original inscription at the base of the print identifies the source material and the patron, providing clear provenance for the work. The print demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship required to replicate the complex textures of fabric, skin, and stone using only the burin.