Mini Post 1

Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1495-1498

“The Last Supper” is a late fifteenth century Renaissance masterpiece by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci which depicts consecutive moments rather than a frozen moment in time. Commissioned by Duke Ludovico Sforza for the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, Leonardo spent three years creating the painting due to his long pauses between sessions and slow work process. Renaissance paintings primarily depicted the Roman Catholic church, prompting “The Last Supper” to become an integral part of the Christian religion as it symbolizes the establishment of the Holy Communion rite. Contrary to twentieth century culture, majority of people during the Renaissance were the same religion (Roman Catholic), which is why this painting related to the majority during this time period. Religion was very powerful and told people during the Renaissance who they were and how to live. 

Leonardo uses one-point linear perspective in which the vanishing point is at Christ’s right temple. The scene is dimly back-lit by the window behind Him which brings forth the detail in every object from the plates to the decorations, creating an extraordinary still life shot. The rectangular room presents coffered ceilings and tapestries on the walls, drawing the focus to Christ and the beautiful Milan landscape through the three windows at the end of the wall. The scene features Jesus Christ in a triangle- like shape in the center, surrounded by the twelve apostles. There are four sets of three apostles beside Christ at the table which is symbolic for the four Gospels in the Bible and the three parts of the Holy Trinity. This piece is set on the night before Christ’s Passion and Death, where he reveals “one of you is about to betray me” (Matthew 26:21). Today, it is known that he was referring to Judas, but at the time Christ’s great revelation caused drama and commotion among the apostles as they wondered who the betrayer was.

The emotions in the painting range from protest (Philip), sadness (John), to acceptance (Christ), while Judas, the betrayer, fades into a shadow as he clutches a money bag containing silver. Previously in Last Supper depictions, Judas was across from the other apostles at the table, but here he is shown in the same group as John and Peter because Judas betrays Christ, Peter denies Him, and John remains with Christ at the cross. Leonardo’s Last Supper painting parallels the early Renaissance traditions in regards to composition and perspective, yet it is innovative in terms of emotion and psychology in a type of naturalism, which was previously unknown in Italian painting. Each one of the twelve apostles react in a manner that Leonardo considered the components of a man’s personality. The result is a complex scene of varied human emotion, represented in a seemingly simple composition.