“Leonardo da Vinci, perhaps most noted as an artist, was also an architect, inventor and chronicler of science, among other outlets for his talents” (Zimmermann, p. 1). Da Vinci is one of the greatest minds to have ever walked the earth. He was gifted in many fields and was constantly learning and exploring new ideas. His ever-evolving thoughts were able to drive many brilliant masterpieces, such as his painting, The Last Supper. His thought and effort behind this work enable it to be remembered for numerous reasons. There is one aspect that allows Da Vinci’s version of this common painting to stand out more than others. Leonardo da Vinci is able to portray the story of Christ’s betrayal in The Last Supper better than any other artist in history
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All the attention is supposed to be drawn to Jesus. The point that stands out most about Jesus is his reaction to the situation. While all the other disciples are fueled with anger, confusion, and disbelief, Jesus can remain calm. By Da Vinci depicting Jesus in this way, we can infer the importance of Jesus compared to that of the disciples. Jesus is the example that people should follow. When discussing the way Jesus was painted, it can easily be seen that his body resembles a triangle or pyramid. Many believe this symbol is to represent the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Da Vinci also uses a vanishing point in the painting. Observers can see the perspective he uses when viewing the wall hangings. If the line of the hangings is followed, the vanishing point can be traced back to Jesus’ head, thus adding more emphasis on him. The last point that stands out about Jesus are his outstretched arms. It appears that he is using his left hand to reach for a loaf of bread and his right for a glass of wine. These are very symbolic items when dealing with The Last Supper. During this historical feast, Jesus tells the disciples, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body” (Matt. 26.26). Next, he gives them the wine saying, “for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people” (Matt. 26.28). Jesus used the bread and the wine to foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice he would pay to forgive the sins of the world. Jesus is the focus of Da Vinci’s
All the attention is supposed to be drawn to Jesus. The point that stands out most about Jesus is his reaction to the situation. While all the other disciples are fueled with anger, confusion, and disbelief, Jesus can remain calm. By Da Vinci depicting Jesus in this way, we can infer the importance of Jesus compared to that of the disciples. Jesus is the example that people should follow. When discussing the way Jesus was painted, it can easily be seen that his body resembles a triangle or pyramid. Many believe this symbol is to represent the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Da Vinci also uses a vanishing point in the painting. Observers can see the perspective he uses when viewing the wall hangings. If the line of the hangings is followed, the vanishing point can be traced back to Jesus’ head, thus adding more emphasis on him. The last point that stands out about Jesus are his outstretched arms. It appears that he is using his left hand to reach for a loaf of bread and his right for a glass of wine. These are very symbolic items when dealing with The Last Supper. During this historical feast, Jesus tells the disciples, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body” (Matt. 26.26). Next, he gives them the wine saying, “for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people” (Matt. 26.28). Jesus used the bread and the wine to foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice he would pay to forgive the sins of the world. Jesus is the focus of Da Vinci’s