Artwork
The Last Supper (Lorenzo Monaco, 1389 - 1390)
The Last Supper (Lorenzo Monaco, 1389 - 1390) is a wood painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Lorenzo Monaco. It dates from 1390 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Lorenzo Monaco’s tempera on poplar panel, executed between 1389 and 1390, presents a conventional rendition of the biblical banquet.
Lorenzo Monaco’s tempera on poplar panel, executed between 1389 and 1390, presents a conventional rendition of the biblical banquet. The work measures roughly a modest size and is presently displayed in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Its composition centers on a linear arrangement of figures, each rendered in vivid hues that contrast with a subdued backdrop, creating a clear visual focus on the narrative moment.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates the moment of the Last Supper, gathering Jesus and his twelve disciples around a long table. A standing figure, likely the Christ figure, gestures toward the assembled group, emphasizing the impending revelation of the betrayal. The calm, attentive expressions of the participants convey a solemn contemplation of the theological significance of the Eucharistic institution.
Technique & Style
Monaco employs the International Gothic palette, favoring saturated reds, blues, and golds that illuminate the figures against a darkened interior. The panel’s surface is smooth, allowing fine detailing of garments and facial features. Architectural elements—arched windows with gilded tracery and a polished stone floor—are rendered with linear precision, reflecting the period’s interest in decorative elegance and spatial order.
History & Provenance
Created in the late fourteenth century for an unknown devotional context, the painting entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, during the museum’s acquisition efforts in the early twentieth century. Its attribution to Lorenzo Monaco has been affirmed through stylistic comparison with other works from his workshop, confirming its place within the artist’s late career output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lorenzo Monaco was a Sienese painter and miniaturist of the late Gothic to early Renaissance age, active principally in Florence.
