Mejillano, Daniela Marie A.

Art Appreciation
Madelar, Lara Mae M.
BSED Social Studies –A

THE LAST SUPPER

The Last Supper, a wall painting by The Last Supper, an oil painting by Jacopo
Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1495-98; in Santa Tintoretto, c. 1592-94; in Basilica di San
Maria delle Grazie, Milan. Giorgio Maggiore, Venice

DESCRIPTION
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1495-1498 AD) is one of the most famous works of art
in the world. It has 460 cm by 880 cm (181 in x 346 in) dimensions, and is currently located at Santa Maria
delle Grazie in Milan. It was created during the Renaissance period and is a simple symbolic work with
little emotion. He painted it in the fresco style with oil and tempera paints and instead on painting in the
buon fresco style (applying pigments to wet plaster), Leonardo used a style known as a secco (painting on
dry plaster). Because he painted on the dry plaster, the colors did not blend into the surface as well. This
caused the painting to be much more fragile and led to its poor condition. Da Vinci’s Last Supper is depicted
in this ritual meal as a religious ceremony. Christ is very much the focal point of the entire piece and we
have a sense of asymmetrical symmetry as he is flanked by his disciples. There are thirteen people in all
(including Christ) and we can see, presumably the figure of Judas Escariot to the right of Christ, as he was
still present at the meal. Some have theorized that Mary Magdalene was sitting to the left of Christ in the
painting, but this is a contradiction since there had to be twelve disciples, and she was not one of them.
Meanwhile, Jacopo Tintoretto’s The Last Supper is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1592–
1594. It has 365 cm by 568 cm (144 in x 224 in) dimensions, and is currently housed in the Basilica di San
Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy. Jacopo depicted the ‘last supper’ several times during his artistic career,
however, this version which he has created in his final years displays an approach very different from the
conventional Renaissance art style. The center of the scene being featured the artwork is occupied not by
Jesus and the apostles, but by secondary characters, such as servants taking dishes from the table and a
woman carrying another dish. It also shows that the table at which the apostles sit retreats into space on a
steep diagonal. The painting also features a host of angels hovering above the scene, some roughly dressed
people indifferent to the supper and some animal and bird imagery painted in the front of the table.
Mejillano, Daniela Marie A. Art Appreciation
Madelar, Lara Mae M.
BSED Social Studies –A

Moreover, it can be observed that the darkness obscures some things in the shadow, and the flaming lamp
in the ceiling and Jesus’ halo are the only ones that give light to the other parts of the artwork.

ANALYSIS
The Last Supper by Leonardo was created during the Renaissance period and is a simple symbolic
work with little emotion. Tintoretto, however, chose to represent the event in a surrealistic manner to give
full impact; a way in which was typical of the art period in which he painted the work, the Mannerist period.
The two works although essentially containing the same subject differ immensely. This difference is
strongly evident through the artists contrasting use of color, light, realism, technique perception and focal
point/s.
Leonardo’s version is filled with many visual elements and principles of design that truly unify the
painting as a one of a kind masterpiece. The painting is a Fresco, which is when colors are applied to a wet
plaster, which bonds the image with the painting surface. However, it seemed like he wanted to try
something different and decided to use oil paint and egg, a method known as tempera because this substance
is less water absorbent and, therefore, did not hold to the plaster as well as normal frescos would. This
necessitated years of restoration and millions of dollars spent to preserve this wonderful work of art.
Leonardo also used a mixture of pitch and mastic. He used the chiaroscuro method to paint soft
melancholy tones with shadows. He divided the section of the wall into squares and then painted on them
briskly. He, then, added drawings on top of the previous drawings in order to make his work perfection.
The painting has five sections, which each has two groups of three people on each side of Christ, which
forms an imaginary triangle in the center of the painting. His head becomes the pinnacle of the triangle
which each of his arms spreading out on each side forming the legs of the triangle. Finally the table connects
the whole triangle together.
The painting is representational art, which contains realistic and naturalistic figures. The
perspective is drawn carefully in the banquet hall. The lines on the left and right hand side of the walls are
drawn towards Christ’s head, which are directional lines. Viewers tend to focus towards the center and if
possible on the persons’ face. Within The Last Supper, the focal point is drawn to Christ’s head. Behind
Christ, there is a window that emphasizes his presence and creates a heavenly halo appearance around his
head. Each apostle is placed behind a table, however the outlines of the bodies create their own private
space, which is outline and form. Because of the characters expressions, motions of the head, arms and
fingers, the viewers can emotionally feel the work of art. Depth is perceived for Christ through shading and
modeling. The fields in the background being blurry create this, which is a form of atmospheric perspective.
This also emphasizes Christ as the Focal point.
Moreover, the light is dramatized in the painting by the open window allowing light to enter. A
holy like appearance is seen because the table is a dark image and light shines on the apostles. The color
scheme is polychromatic which is more than one color plus black and white. There are blues, reds, and
greens however mostly brown and whites are shown here. Time and motion is also included. This scene
takes place the night before Christ is crucified; the characters are placed in constant motion.
On the other hand, Tintoretto’s version of The Last Supper contains strong diagonal lines, dramatic
lighting, asymmetrical composition, and energetic movement that shifts away from the classic style of the
Italian Renaissance. Unlike the version of Leonardo da Vinci, Tintoretto's The Last Supper shows a more
Mejillano, Daniela Marie A. Art Appreciation
Madelar, Lara Mae M.
BSED Social Studies –A

chaotic, dark, and mystical representation. Collectively, the latter version shows an artist moving away
from the heady intellectualism of the Renaissance era into something more purely emotive. He created this
work in the style of Mannerism which is defined as an art style developed in the time of Protestant
Revolution (a time after the High Renaissance and before Baroque) that emphasized over exaggerated and
dramatic art techniques to create highly sophisticated piece with elegance and detail. It focused on self-
expression (personal preference) rather than idealism.
In Tintoretto’s painting, the lines of the table, the pattern on the floor and the wood in the ceiling
create a linear perspective. His work is characterized by its dramatic gestures, bold use of perspective, color
and light. Chiaroscuro is used to show the effects of lighting on the figures’ bodies. Jesus Christ is not
exactly on the focal point in this scene. Instead of directing the eyes to the head (halo) of Jesus, the lines
originating from the glow of light around him lead to an infinite point of distance. The table can also be
perceived as an extension in perspective of the high altar, or conversely the high altar is to be seen as a
prolongation of the table for the Last Supper. Furthermore, Tintoretto’s symbolic use of color; the
complementary reds and blues, present a dark, gloomy gothic feel which creates a tense and stressful mood.

INTERPRETATION
Leonardo’s The Last Supper depicts the dramatic scene described in several closely connected
moments in the Gospels, including Matthew 26:21–28, in which Jesus declares that one of the Apostles will
betray him and later institutes the Eucharist. According to Leonardo’s belief that posture, gesture, and
expression should manifest the “notions of the mind,” each one of the twelve disciples reacts in a manner
that Leonardo considered fit for that man’s personality. The result is a complex study of varied human
emotion, rendered in a deceptively simple composition.
His aim was to capture the emotions of each of the apostles in that dramatic moment. There, da
Vinci has group the apostles in threes with Jesus at the center, which creates an image of a triangle. There
are three windows behind Christ, through which we can see a wide landscape. Each apostle can be identified
by specific attributes. Judas is at the front of the group to Christ’s left. He reaches toward a plate beside
Christ (as recounted in Matthew 26) and he clutches a purse of money—the reward for his betrayal.
In contrast, Tintoretto’s version of the scene can be described as the fest of the poor, in which the
figure of Christ mingles with the crowds of apostles. Tintoretto’s composition is uniquely different from
other interpretations. The table of the last supper is not symmetrical and is drawn at an angel, almost as if
the end of the table is disappearing into the shadows. Although there are twelve known disciples, they
cannot be pointed out in the painting and the image of Judas cannot be identified from the crowd. Judas is
often thought to be an intricate part of the story and its representation. He is the known antagonist, the
disciple who would betray Jesus for pieces of silver. Another unique interpretation of Tintoretto’s piece is
Christ himself. In this painting it can be observed that Christ which is recognized due to the glowing halo
on his head, is not a static, stationary figure, nor is he the focal point of the composition, instead he stands
about halfway down the table handing out bread. The representation also includes angels floating, animals,
and servants, amid a dark room.
Tintoretto’s depiction of The Last Supper is important to Catholicism and represents the era and
time of the piece. The composition clearly portrays the beliefs of Catholics on not only in Jesus, but also in
saints and other heavenly beings. He also incorporated specific elements to the piece such as everyday
events in order to make it more realistic. Examples of these events are servants clearing away food and a
Mejillano, Daniela Marie A. Art Appreciation
Madelar, Lara Mae M.
BSED Social Studies –A

cat looking into a basket. The other aspect that is realistic in this painting is how the complete darkness
reflects the prevailing human ignorance. The roughly dressed people serving the food suggest the world of
ignorance and they are not associated to Christ. These people are as senseless as the animals painted in the
painting. The flying images on the top suggest the flying angels witnessing the Last Supper of Christ, the
son of God. Moreover, this painting has the elements of contrast between ignorance and enlightenment as
well as the contrast of human and non-human (divine).

JUDGMENT
Both of the artworks created by Da Vinci and Tintoretto reflects the two periods of the Renaissance,
a time where religions, specifically Christianity, was an important subject or theme of art. Da Vinci’s
version of The Last Supper is a complicated depiction of the said iconic biblical subject, and is considered
one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance. Built into the artwork is a subtle message that sets it
apart from other paintings of its kind. His painting is full of expressive reactions mixed with the own artist’s
mastery of perspective, creating a naturalistic composition which makes it still one of the most significant
masterpieces in the history of art. Leonardo has succeeded in expressing the desire that has entered the
minds of the apostles to know who is betraying their Master. That’s why in the face of each one may be
viewed the love, fear, indignation, or grief at not being able to understand the meaning behind Christ’s
words; and this excites no less astonishment than the obstinate hatred and treachery that can be seen in
Judas. Meanwhile, in his version, Tintoretto was able to successfully depict the last supper in a way that is
uniquely his own. Mixing the colors of Titian and sketches of Michelangelo, he brought an astonishing
change to the art of the Renaissance with his innovative ideas combined with the works of previous artists.
All in all, Tintoretto’s interpretation involves movement, background, foreground, and emotive style
through dramatic use of light and color. Hence, this allows the painting to depict more than Christ and The
Last Supper; it also represents spirituality, fellowship, and life, both heavenly and earthly.