A group of four figures gathers around a table, their bodies leaning forward in animated engagement. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing or revelation, while his left rests on the table before him. To the left, one figure bends low over the table, his bald head and hunched shoulders suggesting a moment of intense focus or surprise.

On the right, another disciple leans in, his head turned toward Christ, caught in the act of recognition. Behind Christ, a fourth figure stands, his features less distinct, but his posture attentive, as if witnessing the unfolding event. The background remains shadowy and undefined, focusing attention on the figures and their gestures.

Broad, loose brushstrokes create a sense of immediacy and movement, with the forms emerging from a haze of earthy colors and soft highlights. The composition draws the viewer into the intimate moment, with the table forming a horizontal anchor and the figures arranged in a semicircle. Details such as the folds of the garments and the glint of light on the table are rendered with swift, expressive marks rather than precise lines.

A single lit candle on a tall candlestick is visible near the upper left corner, casting a faint glow. The background is mottled with dark browns and olive greens, with indistinct forms suggesting walls or drapery. In the lower left corner, the edge of a bench or stool can be glimpsed beneath the figure’s bent knee.

The right edge of the table is abruptly cut off by the frame, leaving the seated figure partially cropped. Light falls most strongly on the table’s surface, illuminating its pale, creamy color compared to the darker surroundings. The garments of the figures are rendered in loose, swirling strokes of ochre, brown, and muted red, blending into the shadowy background.

The standing figure behind Christ is painted with less definition, his form dissolving into the darkness. Along the bottom edge, the brushwork becomes especially broad and sketchy, with lines and shapes merging into one another. Anthony van Dyck painted this work in 1628, during the seventeenth century.