Last Supper

For Catholics the bible is the closest thing they have to God, and everyone has their own interpretation of it. Just as everyone has their own interpretation of a painting. During the Renaissance many painters interpreted their own views of the last supper in their painting. Each painter painted the same incidents but different point of views. Some famous painters were Leonardo Da Vinci, Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese. Each painter had his own version of the event.

Leonardo Da Vinci most famous painting is the last supper. He created this painting during his time at Milan, where it took him three years to complete it. The painting of this occasion was very detailed and realistic with little emotion. The painting portrays the moment when Jesus tells his disciples that on of them will betray him. He positions the table horizontally and locates Jesus right in the middle so people are focused their attention to Jesus. Leonardo also expresses each disciple's reaction very well. As people can see in the painting each disciple is seen to be shocked, defensive, or disappointed. This is an amazing painting because it so hard to put so much detail in one painting. The color of this painting is dull and traditional because during the renaissance there wasn't any variety in paint. Also many painters used the fresco technique, which was painting with wet plaster. Leonardo used a different technique, which was called secco. This method used oil and tempura on dry plaster. This canvas was also very symbolical. Leonardo was obsessed with the number three. As we see in the painting, he painted the Apostles in groups of three, painted three windows and the figures of Jesus forms a triangle. The number three represents the Holy Trinity. Many rumors and speculation has surrounded this painting recently since the movie the Da Vinci code was released. Some people speculate that in Leonardo's painting of the Apostle next to Jesus who is assumed to be St. John is actually Mary Magdalene the supposed wife of Jesus. Also there have been rumors that if you make a mirror copy of the paint and put it together and move the copy many secrets are revealed.

Tintoretto's painting was very surrealistic and dramatic with a lot of emotion. That was the style during the Mannerism period. In Tintoretto painting we see the table positions differently from paintings because he wanted to express in detail what exactly was going on. The painting was created to describe the moment in which Jesus gives his disciples the Eucharist. As people can see in the painting Jesus is giving one of his disciple the Eucharist in his moth. Tintoretto painting was surrealist because he tried to paint a naturalist painting with some symbolism. The painting was also very dramatic; he used dark and light transparent colors to express a natural and supernatural environment. He uses dark colors to demonstrate a realistic atmosphere. Dark colors were used on the disciples

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