The Last Supper

One of the most famous paintings in the world, The Last Supper, painted by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, dated c. 1495-1498, measures 460 x 880 cm, currently in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy, based on the biblical story of the Last Supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles.

The Last Supper is a perfect interpretation of Jesus, the father of all people, who had countless followers but was ultimately crucified. During the meal, Jesus says to the twelve disciples, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." Hearing these words causes a commotion among the twelve disciples, and various emotions appear on their faces, ranging from shock, anger, unease, disbelief, excitement, and nervousness.

The table and dining room are painted according to the original scene of the monastery. The ceiling, walls, windows, tables, and food give the viewers an immersive feeling, like being Sherlock Holmes and trying to find the traitor. All the people in the painting can be divided into five triangles, and Jesus is in the middle of the triangle and perspective point, highlighting his central position, appearing harmonious and stable. The others are in groups of three or five, while the culprit appears hidden and distinctive. 

Unlike Mona Lisa, which was painted on canvas, the Last Supper was painted in Santa Maria delle Grazie, covering one wall of the dining room in the church. Leonardo da Vinci initially used a special material to paint, hoping it could show more details, brighter colors, and be resistant to moisture, unlike other frescoes. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

In this painting, Da Vinci portrayed the body gestures of the six disciples on both sides symmetrically: twelve disciples sit along with the table, forming four groups, and Jesus sits in the center of the table, spreading his hands in a sad pose, signaling that one of the disciples has betrayed him. While most of the disciples leap with excitement, Jesus appears to be very calm. We can see his silhouette clearly in the window on the back wall. Through the window, we see the serenity of the blue sky, like a halo over Jesus' head. The six disciples surrounding Jesus are the center of the story.

To the left of Jesus are Thomas, James the Greater, and Philip. The Doubting Thomas, whose skepticism expresses through his raised finger, seems to ask Jesus: "Is there a man who will betray you?" Saint James the Greater, sitting alongside him, opens his hands as he tries to understand the terrible words he has just heard and exclaims: "How terrible!" On the other side, young Philip covers his chest with his hands as if to say: "Am I suspected?" His face shows an expression of distress due to love and loyalty. 

In the group to his right, Peter, John, and Judas have the most expressive faces and are the main figures in the painting. St. John, who sits next to Jesus, has his head hanging down toward Peter. Of all the disciples, he is the favorite of Jesus.

Judas, the traitor, knocks over the salt shaker in panic, still holding thirty pieces of silver, the price for betraying Jesus, though when the Last Supper is magnified 30 times, it reminds us that he is the treasurer for Jesus and the other disciples. Da Vinci employed a unique technique to depict the scene: after hearing Jesus' words, Judas is tense, leans back slightly, supports his right arm on the table, and clutches the money bag, showing a repressed fear. Among the13 disciples, only Judas' face is ashen. Next to Judas is St. Peter, whose silver hair and a pair of pale hands are leaning towards St. John. When the painting is magnified 30 times, we can see that Peter's right hand on his hip is holding a knife, with the knife pointed at Judas' back as if by accident. Peter, on the other hand, is so excited that he jumps up from his seat as if to ask John who the traitor is. He is already holding a knife in his hand, which has just cut bread, unintentionally close to Judas' ribs. 

The outside group to the right of Jesus are Bartholomew, Andrew, and James the Less. As if doubting his ears, Bartolomeo leaps from his seat, pressing his hands on the table, and faces Jesus with excitement, while Andrea opens his hands wide and points his upward. Sandwiched in the middle, James the Less nervously stretches his hand from behind to the shoulder of the fourth person, forming a connection between the two groups. All three face Jesus. 

The last three disciples that remain on Jesus' left-hand side are Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot. After hearing this horrific news, these three talk spontaneously with their hands pointing to the center of the table. Jesus, sitting in the middle, spreads his hands and turns his head to the side, making a helpless, indifferent expression, which adds a rhythm to the four groups of disciples and makes the scene more dramatic.

Take a closer look at the painting, a female figure, or at least an androgynous one, can be found to the right of Jesus, which many have suspected to be Mary Magdalene. Another proof is that Jesus dresses in red with a blue cloak and Magdalene dresses in blue with a red cloak. Famous historical writers Prince and Picknett even said that the figure's tunic had accentuated a woman's breasts. In fact, Da Vinci had no objection to giving this figure feminine features, and he even gave some of the male figures feminine features. These twelve disciples are of different ages, personalities, and identities, and they are well presented with their expressions of surprise and disbelief. The characters echo and relate to each other, and their feelings are not isolated, showing a masterly psychological depiction by Leonardo da Vinci. The principle of "pluralism and unity" of ancient aesthetics is unprecedentedly reflected in Leonardo da Vinci's paintings. Here lies the artistic achievement of this masterpiece.

In terms of the composition of the Last Supper, the dramatic scene is arranged in a large dining hall to reveal the original appearance of each disciple. Having Jesus and his disciples gather at a long table, facing the audience, Leonardo da Vinci thoroughly depicted the surprise and complex expressions of each disciple at this moment. The composition is centered on Jesus, spreading out to the sides like an equilateral triangle, and then four smaller triangles are formed by the height differences of the figures, in groups of three, giving the image a balanced and dynamic appearance, establishing the highly idealized principles of Renaissance composition and representation.

Da Vinci successfully created a stereoscopic composition in the Last Supper with the correct perspective. "Perspective" means to depict a three-dimensional object or scene in a two-dimensional space to achieve realistic visual effects. The Last Supper uses the "one point perspective" to create a realist impression of depth. All the lines converge at one point at the window behind Jesus' head, known as the vanishing point. The walls and ceiling appear to be receding, making the painting look stereoscopic. This vanishing point is also the central point of the entire fresco and the focal point of the vision.

The figures in the Last Supper are, from left to right: Bartholomew, James the Less (son of Alphaeus), Andrew, Judas Iscariot, Saint Peter, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater (son of Zebedee), Philip, Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot.

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