And He Disappeared out of Their Sight (ca. 1898)

Henry Ossawa Tanner, a groundbreaking African American artist known for his deeply spiritual works, offers a poignant narrative through his painting "And He Disappeared out of Their Sight." Created circa 1898, this artwork encapsulates a biblical story infused with human emotion and divine mystery.The painting portrays the moment described in Luke 24:31 from the Bible, where the resurrected Jesus, unrecognized initially, reveals himself to two of his disciples in Emmaus and then vanishes from their sight. Tanner's depiction focuses on the intimacy and astonishment of the scene. We see the two disciples seated at a simple, rustic table inside a modest room. The setting is humble and dimly lit, emphasizing not the grandeur of the divine appearance, but the profound personal impact of the moment.Tanner uses a subdued palette of earthy tones to enhance the feeling of an ordinary, everyday environment pervaded by a transcendent presence. The textural richness of the paint application gives depth to the shrouded interiors, perhaps mirroring the complex emotions experienced by the disciples. One disciple appears to lean forward in eager engagement, perhaps in the moment of recognition, while the other seems taken aback, caught in the awe of the realization of whom they have been speaking with.This painting captures a fleeting, transient moment — a theme underscored by Tanner's blurred and impressionistic style. The figures are rendered with a softness that suggests both their humanity and the fleeting nature of the encounter. It allows viewers to feel the immediate emotional impact of the scene, reflecting on spiritual presence in commonplace settings.