Landscape with Pilgrims at Emmaus

In the 16th century, religious scenes were commonly used as a pretext for painting large landscapes. In this painting, the biblical story told in Luke 24:13–35 is almost incidental, unfolding in the painting’s bottom corner. Two pilgrims are holding onto a man and attempting to convince him to stop off in the town before night falls. This person, who is in fact the risen Christ, is pointing to indicate that he must continue his journey. In the background lies Emmaus, where he is being invited to stay. The town combines fantastical elements with buildings typical of 16th-century Flanders, encouraging the viewer to take it in using their imagination, as well as their eyes. The Museum of Strasbourg has another work of a very similar landscape, presumably by the same artist. However, the theme it depicts is mythological and refers to the meeting of Mercury and Argus, when the nymph known as Io was freed. The depiction of the botanical landscape is that of a true naturalist, although some of the buildings may have been imaginary.