Italian masterpiece Supper at Emmaus presented in Jockey Club-supported exhibition

03/11/2014

In its first-ever presentation in Asia, 17th-century oil painting Supper at Emmaus by Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio will go on display in the city from tomorrow (12 March) with free admission. It is supported by a donation of HK$4.82 million of the Club’s Charities Trust. Over 8,000 free tickets have already been taken up by the public.

Club Chairman T. Brian Stevenson today (11 March) joined Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong Alessandra Schiavo and Asia Society Co-chair and Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK) Chairman Ronnie Chan to officiate at the opening ceremony of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Presents: Light and Shadows – Caravaggio•The Italian Baroque Master at ASHK in Admiralty.

Highlighting the Club’s support for arts and cultural programmes, Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson said of the exhibition, “It will expand interest in the great Caravaggio's work to a broader Asian audience and, I hope, foster greater appreciation of Baroque and Italian art in general. The Jockey Club is a keen supporter of bringing masterpieces of art to Hong Kong from all across the world, since the Club believes it offers the local community wonderful opportunities to view, appreciate and learn from these famous works of art effectively on home turf.”

Housed in the former British forces explosives magazine – a grade one historic building renovated with the Trust’s funding, the one-month exhibition will showcase the unique painting from the Pinacoteca di Brera Museum in Milan along with contemporary works by four local artists – Chow Chun-fai, So Hing-keung, Tsing Kin-wah and Wucius Wong – to illustrate how the revolutionary techniques found in Caravaggio’s paintings have been adopted centuries later.

Produced between 1605 and 1606, the 141cm by 175cm masterpiece was painted during a dark period in the artist’s life when he was exiled after committing an act of manslaughter, and depicts Jesus Christ revealing himself to his disciples following his resurrection, in the town of Emmaus. The painting is one of the few still existing original works by Caravaggio with an insured value of 60 million euros for the exhibition, which runs until 13 April.

A six-month Italian art and cultural education programme, also made possible by the Trust’s donation, will offer photography and artists’ workshops, lecture series, a drawing competition and tours for the visually impaired as an extension of the exhibition to arouse the public’s interest in Caravaggio’s works and Italian arts.

In the past 10 years alone, the Club’s total contribution to the arts field has exceeded HK$2 billion, including exhibitions in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series, Jockey Club Art Appreciation Programme for “Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal”, River of Wisdom - Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival and PICASSO - Masterpieces from Musée National Picasso, Paris.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world’s leading horse racing organisations, but also Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.95 billion in 2012/13. In addition, the Club is a major taxpayer, Hong Kong’s single largest by far, generating over HK$17.64 billion in 2012/13 for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.