Nicholas Ge’s painting The Last Supper is a strong, powerful work depicting a famous biblical scene that has been referenced by many artists: classics like Rubens and Leonardo da Vinci, and avant-garde artists like Salvador Dali.
The painting by Nikolai Ge depicts a very small room in which Jesus Christ and the apostles are. Jesus bowed his head and leaned on the couch, at his feet is John, several people are standing behind him, at the head of the table is the wise old Peter.
A powerful source of light, which was very symbolically obscured by the figure of Judas, brightly illuminates the face of the Apostle Peter, the tablecloth that covers the table, the head of Christ and the anxious eyes of the apostles. Everyone in this room is confused about what they did there, they are unable to understand his motives and goals. Only the face of Jesus does not express disappointment or disappointment, he, like no one else, understands human greed and greed, to which people themselves sometimes become victims. Judas is a kind of embodiment of everything dark and ugly in man, the artist tries to reveal the boundless greed and greed of man. Even Leonardo da Vinci believed that only the law can limit a person’s nature, otherwise, he will surpass any beast in his rigidity.
Year of painting: 1863.
Dimensions of the painting: 283 x 382 cm.
Material: canvas.
Writing technique: oil.
Genre: religious painting.
Style: realism.
Gallery: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.