Last Supper | History, Technique, Location, & Facts | Britannica

Subject

The subject of the Last Supper was a popular choice for the refectory walls of monasteries and convents in 15th-century Italy, whereby nuns and monks could have their meals in the presence of Jesus’ final repast. Leonardo’s version appears neatly arranged, with Jesus at the center of an extensive table and the Apostles to his left and right. He wears the traditional red and blue robes and has a beard, but Leonardo did not imbue him with the customary halo. Some scholars have proposed that the light from the window behind him serves this role or that the implied lines of the pediment above the window create the illusion of a halo. Other scholars have argued that the missing attribute may also suggest that Jesus is still a human being, who, as such, will endure the pain and suffering of the Passion.

The scene is not a frozen moment but rather a representation of successive moments. Jesus has declared his forthcoming betrayal, and the Apostles react. Philip, who stands in the group to Jesus’ left, gestures toward himself and seems to say, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus seems to reply, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me” (Matthew 26:23). Simultaneously, Jesus and Judas, who sits with the group to Jesus’ right, reach toward the same dish on the table between them, an act that marks Judas as the betrayer. Jesus also gestures toward a glass of wine and a piece of bread, suggesting the establishment of the Holy Communion rite.

Britannica Quiz Ultimate Art Quiz

Jesus’ serene composure, with his head and eyes lowered, contrasts with the agitation of the Apostles. Their varying postures rise, fall, extend, and intertwine while remaining organized in groups of three. James the Greater, to Christ’s left, throws his arms out angrily while the disbelieving Thomas, crouched behind James, points upward and seems to ask, “Is this God’s plan?” His gesture anticipates his later reunion with the resurrected Christ, a moment that was often represented in art with Thomas using his fingers to touch Christ’s wounds from the crucifixion to quell his doubts. Peter, who is identified by the knife in his hand that he will later use to sever the ear of a soldier attempting to arrest Jesus, moves toward the mild-tempered John, who sits to Jesus’ right and appears to swoon. Judas, gripping the purse that contains his reward for identifying Jesus, recoils from Peter, seemingly alarmed at the other Apostle’s quick action.The rest of the Apostles appear to whisper, grieve, and debate among themselves.

The meal takes place within an almost austere room so that the viewer focuses on the action taking place in the foreground. Dark tapestries line the walls on either side, while the back wall is dominated by three windows that look out on an undulating landscape recalling Milan’s countryside. Leonardo represented the space by using linear perspective, a technique rediscovered in the Renaissance that employs parallel lines that converge at a single vanishing point to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface. He placed the vanishing point at Jesus’ right temple, thus drawing the viewer’s attention toward the main subject. Although linear perspective seems like a systematized method of creating the illusion of space, it is complicated by its reliance on a single vantage point. Any viewing position other than the vantage point reveals a slightly distorted painted space. Later, scholars discovered that the vantage point for the Last Supper is about 15 feet (4.57 meters) above ground. Leonardo likely chose this relatively high height because the painting’s bottom edge is 8 feet (2.44 meters) above ground and using a vantage from the floor would have meant viewers would only have been able to see the underside of the table, not the action taking place above. Consequently, the painted space of the Last Supper always appears sightly at odds with the refectory space. It is one of many visual paradoxes scholars have observed about the painting. They have also noted that the table is far too large to fit in the depicted room, yet it is not large enough to seat the 13 men, at least not along the three sides where they are placed. The scene, so seemingly simple and organized, is a puzzling resolution to the challenge of creating the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.