Christ at Emmaus, after Dürer 1495 - 1539

This is Marcantonio Raimondi's "Christ at Emmaus, after Dürer", a print made in the early 16th century. Immediately, the composition strikes us with its dramatic contrast of light and shadow, organized within a tight, arched frame. Raimondi skillfully uses line to define forms and create depth, guiding our eye from the detailed faces to the radiant burst emanating from Christ. Note the stark geometry of the table, offset by the organic curves of the figures and archway above. Raimondi masterfully reproduces Dürer's original design, but the translation into print introduces new structural considerations, like the dependence on line rather than tonal gradations to shape form. The print's emphasis on line and form invites a semiotic reading, where the contrast between light and dark symbolizes divine revelation amidst earthly obscurity. As we consider the print's formal qualities, we see how it functions not just as a religious image, but as a complex interplay of artistic interpretation, technique, and theological meaning.