The last supper
Historical Context
The Meester van het Altaar van Friedrich's Last Supper, painted around 1445 and now in the Belvedere museum in Vienna, depicts the final meal Christ shared with his twelve Apostles before his arrest and crucifixion — a subject freighted with the liturgical meaning of the Eucharist, which Christian theology understood as the direct continuation of that meal. The Last Supper was among the most theologically important subjects in Christian art, its depiction governed by centuries of iconographic tradition while remaining open to innovations that reflected current theological debate and devotional emphasis.
Technical Analysis
Tempera and oil on panel. The twelve Apostles are arranged along the traditional long table in the conventional composition, with Christ at center and Judas often isolatable by his turning away or separate positioning. The table is set with the bread and wine that carry Eucharistic significance.
