Christ, First Fruits, and the Resurrection: Observations on the Fruit Basket in

Caravaggio's London "Supper at Emmaus"

Author(s): Susanne J. Warma
Source: Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte , 1990, 53. Bd., H. 4 (1990), pp. 583-586
Published by: Deutscher Kunstverlag GmbH Munchen Berlin

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1482555

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 MISZELLE

Susanne J. Warma

Christ, First Fruits, and the Resurrection:

Observations on the Fruit Basket in Caravaggio's London
>>Supper at Emmaus<<

Since its completion nearly four hundred years iconographically entwined with Christ, the Resur-
ago, Caravaggio's London Supper at Emmaus rection, and first fruits.
(fig. i) has provoked, bewildered, delighted, and In recent years, comments pertaining to the ba-
involved the spectator which is due, in large part, sket of fruit have steadily increased. Hinks faults
to its dramatic energy, unbridled passion, and the Caravaggio for placing it in such a conspicuous
manner in which perspective has shattered the pic- location because Christ is in the act of blessing
ture plane. Though the subject has never been the bread which is obscurred from view by a fowl
disputed, controversy has, nonetheless, sur- which, in turn, is behind the fruit3. Friedlaender,
rounded this painting. From the time of Pietro noting the precarious placement of the basket at
Bellori, writing in 1672, art historians have found the table's edge, is uncertain as to whether this
certain features questionable'. Indeed, one of Bell- might actually be symbolic4. Similarly, Wittkower
ori's major objections is the inclusion of the fruit suggests that the basket will momentarily fall to
basket which he feels is too close to nature because the observer's feet, which serves to involve the
it is merely >>a plate of grapes, figs, and pomegran- spectator with the scenes. Calvesi, while concentr-
ates out of season<2. While his judgment appears ating on the alchemic meaning for the inclusion
to be that of an academician, his comment warrents of the roasted fowl, proposes that the grapes, ap-
our attention inasmuch as Caravaggio considered ples, and pomegranates depicted in Caravaggio's
this still life so essential that he not only included Bacchus paintings allude to death and/or resurrec-
it in his canvas but made it central to his interpreta- tion; therefore, he believes that the iconography
tion of the theme. The basket and its contents are of this fruit is the same especially since it is juxtap-

Prefatory note: My interest in the iconography that
can be found in Caravaggio's early works was first
stimulated in a graduate seminar about this artist that
was conducted by Professor Robert Enggass, who will
always have my gratitude and heartfelt thanks.
,The moment depicted by Caravaggio is that when
Christ, by blessing the bread, reveals His identity to
His two shocked apostles, Cleophas and one that has
remained unidentified. According to Mark (16:12),
Christ appeared to His apostles >>in another likeness<,
while St. Luke (24:13-32) never stated why they did not
recognize Him. Scribner suggests that Caravaggio
purposely deviated from traditional representations of
Christ. All clues to His identity have been removed.
His hands are placed in a manner to conceal nail marks
and His clothing obscures from view the wound at His
side. Recognition of Christ comes not from accepted
portrayals of His face, but from His gesture, which not
only the two apostles recognize, but so too does the
spectator.
The innkeeper, who weares his cap, looks quizzically
at Christ, because he does not understand the reactions
of the two apostles nor is he aware of the significance
of the Blessing gesture. He must, therefore, be syno-
nymous with the faithless or damned who fail to re-
cognize Christ, and, as such, cannot be expected to
remove his cap in reverence, see Charles Scribner III:
In Alia Effigie: Caravaggio's London Supper at Em-
maus, The Art Bulletin, LIX 1977, 375-382.
2 Pietro Bellori: Le vite de'pittori, scultori et architetti
moderni, Rome 1672, 213. For English translation see
Walter Friedlaender: Caravaggio Studies, Princeton
1955, 253.
3 Roger Hinks: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. His
Life-His Legend-His Works, New York 1953, 58.
4 Friedlaender (note 2), 166.
5 Rudolf Wittkower: Art and Architecture in Italy i6oo-
1750, 3rd. rev. ed. New York 1973, 49.

583

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 I. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: Supper at Emmaus. c. 1600 - 1601.
Reproduced by courtesy of the Trustees, The National Gallery, London

osed with the dead bird6. In observing that grapes
have a Eucharistic meaning and pomegrantes sym-
bolize the Resurrection, Hibbard asserts that the
fruit >>reinforces<< the subject and provides a deeper
religious connotation7. Though Scribner did not
discuss the fruit, per se, he relates that the shadow
cast by the basket suggests the shape of a fish
which, he feels, is indicative of the metaphysical
qualities of this artist's chiaroscuro8.
When reviewing the debate, what immediately
comes to mind is the variety of comments concern-
ing this basket and the fact that there has been
little, if any, attempt to reconcile these sundry
observations. While scholars have concentrated on
the Resurrection and Eucharistic symbolism of
the pomegranate and grapes, respectively, they
have overlooked the other fruit. In addition, this
basket holds apples, a quince, and a purple plum.
Bellori's assertion that it also contains figs is incor-
rect. Because bread was the only food specifically
mentioned as being at this meal (Luke 24:30-31),
the basket of fruit assumes a greater significance.
Its prominent display is testimony that it was, for
Caravaggio, extremely relevant. Before any con-
clusions about the still life can be made, an exami-
nation of the fruit in terms of their traditional
meanings within the Church becomes necessary.
During antiquity, grapes were an attribute of not
only agriculture but also fertility deities and, as
such, symbolized the wine of life, hence immortal-

6 Maurizio Calvesi: Caravaggio o la ricerca della salva- 7 Howard Hibbard: Caravaggio, New York 1983, 8o.
zione, Storia dell'Arte, IX/X 1971, 93-99. 8 Scribner (note I), 376 n. io.

584

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ityg. In Christian symbolism, grapes refer to the
Blood of Christ or His Passion. Genesis (49:11)
tells us that >He washed His garments in wine,
and His clothes in the blood of grapes.? The Eu-
charist meaning of this fruit is based on John (6:54)
?whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,
hath eternal life.<< Red grapes especially symbolize
the Eucharist, while the white ones represent the
blood together with the water that came from the
side of Christ during the Crucifixionio. They are
also a symbol of resurrection, because long held
beliefs deemed them to be the antidote to the ap-
ple",. A vine or grape leaf is an emblem of Christ
because in John (15:1-17) He says 4I am the real
vine.<<
Even though the Bible does not specify which
fruit was eaten by Adam and Eve, the apple is best
known as a symbol for the fall of man. The Latin
word for apple is malum which also means evil.
However, when this fruit is associated with Christ
it alludes to Him as the New Adam and, thus, to
salvation.
In antiquity, the quince was sacred to Venus and
was thought to be the golden apple of Hesperides.
An ancient belief also connected it to immortality/
resurrection because, if planted, a cutting from
this tree would growI2. During the Christian era,
the quince did, in fact, become associated with the
Resurrection and has the same meaning as the
apple13.
The general symbolism of the plum is fidelity
and independence. However, the purple plum, be-
cause of its color, refers to the death and passion
of Christ14.
Because of the many seeds in one fruit, the pome-
granate is a sign of the Church and congregation.
It also represents God's blessing, since it is con-
9 J. C. Cooper: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Tradi-
tional Symbols, London 1978, 76.
Io Mirella Levi D'Ancona: The Garden of the Renaissance:
Botanical Symbolism in Italian Painting, London 1978,
162.
SGertrude Jobes: Dictionary of Mythology, Folklore
and Symbols, I, New York 1962, 684.
2 D'Ancona (note io), 324f.
I3 James Hall: Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art,
New York 1974, 257.
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sidered to be a gift from heaven15. The red juices
of this fruit denote the blood of Christ during the
Passionl6. In pagan mythology, it was an attribute
of Persephone, who each year returned from the
underworld, and thus resulted in its being assimil-
ated into Catholicism as a symbol of resurrection.
As such, the pomegranate is either held by Christ
or is seen bursting apart, as depicted by Caravag-
gio, which alludes to Him bursting forth from the
tomb. In a lesser way, it can also represent the
salvation of all true believers in Christl7.
It is maintained by Scribner that the shadow un-
der the basket recalls the shape of a fish. The hypo-
thesis is strengthened by his observation that the
innkeeper casts a shadow behind Christ which
creates the effect of a halo18. The Greek word for
fish is txe?s which also forms the initials for
Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior (Iesous Christos
Theou Huios Soter). It was the belief in the Latin
church that a fish represented Christ; however,
this idea was rejected by the Greek Orthodox
church'9. Fish, as an emblem of Christ, became
the heavenly food of the Eucharist during Early
Christianity. As a result of the story of Jonah, it
is also a symbol of the resurrection, not only
Christ's Resurrection, but our own salvation since
He was often referred to as a fisherman.
Symbolizing the tithing of first fruits, fertility
and sanctity is a basket which also functions as
the attribute of the Seasons. A full basket is indicat-
ive of abundance and the first fruits. In funerary
art, it represents immortalityzo.
The contents of this basket strongly indicate a
symbolic link to the Resurrection. In addition, the
still life's relationship to the figure of Christ is
stressed by its placement on the canvas. While the
two Apostles and the innkeeper direct their atten-
'4 Jobes (note ii), II, 1247.
'5 Ibid. 1285.
i6 D'Ancona (note io), 316.
'7 F. R. Webber: Church Symbolism, Cleveland 1938, 78.
18 Scribner (note I), 376.
'9 Cooper (note 8), 68.
2o Ibid. i8.
585
tion to Christ, Who is, no doubt, the primary
compositional element, the object receiving nearly
as much emphasis is the still life. Not only is the
basket visually invading the viewer's space, but
our attention is focused on it by a series of strong
diagonals. Included among these are the contour
created by Christ's left upper arm; the implied
directional line produced by the innkeeper's left
arm, Christ's right forearm, and the shadow on
His left hand; the part in His hair and the bridge
of His nose; the edge of the table; and the direction
of light. These diagonals are helpful insofar as they
lead the observer to the basket, which, because of
its apparent projection beyond the picture plane,
vies for attention. It has been observed by Witt-
kower that Caravaggio often used perspective de-
vices to >increase the participation of the worship-
per in the mystery rendered in the picture<21.
The impact of the still life goes deeper than mer-
ely the representation of a basket containing fruit
that is not yet ripe at Easter. The hypothesis of
the fruit implicating His Resurrection as well as
salvation is supported by church symbolism. Its
significance is further emphasized by the basket's
compositional relationship to the rest of the paint-
ing and to the observer. Moreover, a direct connec-
tion between Christ, Resurrection, and fruit can
be found in the Bible (I Cor. 15:20-23): >But in fact
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first
, Wittkower (note 5), 49.
fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by
a man came death, by a man has come also the
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each
in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at
his coming those who belong to Christ.<
The first fruits of harvests were offered as a tith-
ing to God with the belief that more fruit would
follow. Christ, in the above passage, is a metaphor
that He was the first to ascend to heaven and that
others will follow and be offered to God for salva-
tion. In Caravaggio's painting, the fruit serves as
an earthly visual metaphor with the same meaning.
Salvation is, thus, close at hand.
Traditionally, Christ's appearance at Emmaus
was thought to confirm His Resurrection and His
bodily presence at the Eucharist. At Emmaus,
Christ Himself breaks the bread and gives it to
His apostles, thus recognition of Christ through
the Eucharist. From the Bible (Luke 24:30-31), we
learn that >when he was at table with them [in
Emmaus], he took the bread and blessed, and
broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were
opened and they recognized him; and he vanished
out of their sight.<
By assimilating all previous scholarship concern-
ing the still life and re-examining the iconography,
the image that this artist has so carefully con-
structed becomes increasingly sacred in nature.
From the visual information presented in the Sup-
per at Emmaus, it is evident that Caravaggio was
able to achieve a spiritual unity.

Aufnahme: National Gallery, London.

586

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