The Last Supper is one of the central events of the Passion, where the Eucharist is celebrated for the first time as Christ dines with his apostles, including his betrayer. Our painting is based on a print made on the subject by Pieter de Witte and (1548 – 1628) and Jan Sadeler I (1550 – 1600). Pieter de Witte was born in Flanders, and trained in Florence, where he became known as Pietro Candido. He later moved to Munich, where he was Court Painter to the Dukes of Bavaria. He painted several versions of this subject, and we consider our painting to have been executed by a close follower of de Witte.

The central challenge in any “Last Supper” is to fit 13 unique figures into the composition. Our artist does so elegantly, following the model set by the de Witte / Sadeler print. Christ is of course the central figure, surrounded by the twelve apostles arrayed in a burst of bright colours. Peter (in yellow) at Christ’s right, and John (in red) to his left, tenderly resting his head on Christ’s shoulder, as if aware of the fate that awaits his Teacher. There is one figure at the bottom right (in yellow and green) looking directly at the viewer: Judas Iscariot, clutching a purse, no doubt with the 30 pieces of silver he has already accepted to betray Christ. Judas’s face has a weary expression tinged with guilt, staring out at us, as he has done to all who have viewed this painting over the centuries.

The painting is set in a splendid gilded wooden Tabernacle frame, suitable for hanging on a wall or resting on your dining room credenza.