The Bible In Paintings: ✝️ THE LAST SUPPER ✝️ Part 1

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings
~ Encouragement for Appreciating and Applying God's Word ~

T H E   L A S T
S U P P E R

֎ Featuring 29 Paintings and 1 Mosaic ֎

M A R K
Chapter 14*

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely not I?”

“It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

1
LEONARDO DA VINCI
"The Last Supper"
Bartholomew • James Minor • Andrew • Judas • Peter • John • JESUS • Thomas • James Major • Philip • Matthew • Jude • Simon

2
"Detail"

3
CARL BLOCH
"Last Supper"

4
BENJAMIN WEST
"The Last Supper"

5
TINTORETTO
"The Last Supper"

6
Source

7
DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO
"Last Supper"

8
"Detail"

9
VALENTIN DE BOULOGNE
"The Last Supper"

10
GIOVANNI DOMENICO TIEPOLO
"The Last Supper"

11
LIPPO MEMMI
"The Last Supper"

12
Source

13
DANIELE CRESPI
"The Last Supper"

14
SALVADOR DALI
"The Sacrament of the Last Supper"

15
ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO
"The Last Supper"

16
EL GRECO
"The Last Supper"

17
GIOTTO DI BONDONE
"The Last Supper"

18
MYKOLA GE
"The Last Supper"

19
HEINRICH LÜTZELMANN
"Last Supper"

20
COSIMO ROSSELLI
"The Last Supper"

21
Source

22
JEAN BAPTISTE DE CHAMPAIGNE
"The Last Supper"

23
Source

24
JAMES W JOHNSON
"The Last Supper"

25
AGOSTINO CARRACCI
"Last Supper"

26
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"The Last Supper"

27
FRANCESCO BASSANO
"The Last Supper"

28
WILLIAM BLAKE
"The Last Supper"

29
CORRADO GIAQUINTO
"The Last Supper"

→ a n d     f i n a l l y ←

30
JAMES TISSOT
"The Last Supper"

To be continued…

New International Version ©1984
*For parallel accounts, see MATTHEW 26 and LUKE 22

[InkStone]

Always my First Stop in the morning Dan!

Great topics all!

[spankalib]

Thanks to our resident scholar, etabeta, I understand (or think I understand) the use of dogs in the pictures - symbolize ‘loyalty’.

How interesting is that symbolism in this group, then. (also then, do cats represent ‘mystery’, ‘suspicion’, no loyalty?)

We have ‘loyalty’ sniffing suspiciously at Judas in Tiepolo at #10 (loyalty under suspicion),
also in #20, Rosselli paints a “ratty” dog facing off with a cat…
#25, Carracci actually has the dog fighting with the cat!
#27, Bassano dog facing cat…

Though not well visualized in #7, in the Ghirlandaio, maybe the cat! will show up better here:

I also like the way the artists, Boulogne in #9, and Crespi, in #13, show Judas clinging to the purse, trying to hide it behind his back!

Tintoretto at #5 illustrates – rather dramatically! – how the ‘unseen world’ still contends with we ‘mere’ mortals. Well done!

[Hebrews 11:6]

(also then, do cats represent ‘mystery’, ‘suspicion’, no loyalty?)

Works for me.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

It’s really funny how when you see a different artist’s version of the scene you are actually surprised…as if only Da Vinci ever painted it! And then when you do realize that, the mind downgrades the others and you think, oh, that’s still not The Da Vinci…Pavlov would nod knowingly at that reaction. There ARE many fine versions (but still Da Vinci stands out).

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thirty-one more tomorrow—but the world has had half a millennium to settle on ol’ Leo’s.

[etabeta]

In the Bible, the peacock symbolizes resurrection, everlasting life.
As for cats, Dan, you don’t know what fun and joy they are, just like children, they come with different personalities. I had one, a Russian Blu, who would run roaring like a lion through the house ending in a mighty leap on top of an armoire. My siamese kitty once, seeing me in tears, snuggled close to me and touched my cheek with her paw. They respond to how one raises them and treats them.

[InkStone]

That’s a great story etabeta...

[etabeta]

[InkStone]

Pretty Kit Kat -

[Hebrews 11:6]

No way, José!

[etabeta]

De gustibus non est disputandum......

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yep!

[SisterK]

do cats represent ‘mystery’, ‘suspicion’, no loyalty?

cats represent No Mice in the Building

they are there to sniff out the rat and have probably growled at Judas

[Hebrews 11:6]

LOL

[SisterK]

#4 it looks like Judas has been totally consumed by Satan

[SisterK]

I have to agree
the Carl Bloch work is in a class of its own

[Hebrews 11:6]

Pretty much.

[spankalib]

cats represent No Mice in the Building they are there to sniff out the rat and have probably growled at Judas

LOL!

[Hebrews 11:6]

the Carl Bloch work is in a class of its own

At the end of this series, I'll post the best works by several artists, including Bloch. So far I have twenty-three of his, but I expect to find more.

[InkStone]

Dan, how will you organize those artists ?