Artwork
Copy after The Last Supper, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Chiesa di Ognissanti (Florence)
Copy after The Last Supper, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Chiesa di Ognissanti (Florence) is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Domenico Ghirlandaio. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour is a 19th-century copy of Domenico Ghirlandaio's 15th-century fresco, The Last Supper, located in Florence's Chiesa di Ognissanti. Created in 1864 by Christian Schultz, it was commissioned by the Arundel Society for reproductive purposes.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Jesus and his disciples at a table, with the original fresco incorporating symbolic ornamental details alluding to the Passion of Christ, characteristic of Ghirlandaio's style.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the copy reflects Schultz's interpretation of Ghirlandaio's Renaissance technique, though the original's fresco medium and Ghirlandaio's Florentine workshop style are distinct from this reproduction.
History & Provenance
Commissioned by the Arundel Society in 1864, the watercolour's primary purpose was educational, catering to the 19th-century interest in 'primitives' and Italian Old Masters.
Context
The original fresco, painted around 1480, precedes Ghirlandaio's work in the Sistine Chapel (1481) and showcases his Florentine workshop's flourishing activity before his Roman engagement.
Legacy
Through the Arundel Society's efforts, this copy contributed to the popularisation of Ghirlandaio's and broader Renaissance art among a wider 19th-century audience.
Artist & collection
Artist
Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi (2 June 1448 – 11 January 1494), professionally known as Domenico Ghirlandaio (also spelt as Ghirlandajo), was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence.
Copy after Calling of the Apostoles, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican (Rome)
Copy after Zacharias writes down the name of his Son, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Preaching of St. John the Baptist, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Nativity of the Virgin, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Marriage of the Virgin, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Watercolour, copy after Supper of St Dominic and Crucifixion with Saints, Giovanni Antonio Sogliani in the Convent of San Marco (Florence)
Watercolour, copy after the Baptism of Christ, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after the Birth of St John the Baptist, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after The Crucifixion, Fra Angelico in the Museo di San Marco (Florence)
Copy after The Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after The Angel Appearing to Zacharias, Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (Florence)
Copy after Christ and Disciples at Emmaus, Fra Bartolomeo in the Convent of San Marco (Florence)