Who painted The Last Supper?

The Last Supper was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1510.

Where can I see The Last Supper?

The Last Supper is held by British Museum.

What movement is The Last Supper?

The Last Supper is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

The Last Supper

Albrecht Dürer , 1510

The Last Supper is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the British Museum.

About this work

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut entitled *The Last Supper* was produced around 1510. Executed on laid paper, the print measures approximately 12 by 7 inches. It presents the biblical scene of Jesus sharing a final meal with his twelve disciples, rendered in the stark, graphic language of early 16th‑century printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The composition places Christ at the centre of a long table, surrounded by the apostles whose faces convey a mixture of astonishment and uncertainty. One figure points toward the bread, while another clutches his chest, suggesting the emotional turbulence that the narrative traditionally associates with the moment of betrayal and revelation.

Technique & Style

Dürer employed the woodcut process, carving the image into a single block of wood, inking its surface, and pressing it onto laid paper. His precise incising produces crisp shadows and sharply defined folds in the garments, giving the scene a vivid three‑dimensional quality despite the medium’s inherent flatness.

History & Provenance

The print is a relatively rare example of Dürer’s religious works in the woodcut format. A surviving impression is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s collection of early European prints.