7 Easter Paintings: Last Supper Paintings

Walter takes a classic approach in his last supper art, with the dramatic lighting and flowing robes. We love the expressions and keen interest he illustrates in the disciples' faces. Jesus also appears genuinely engaged with teaching and enjoying the presence of His friends. 

Eventually, the artist draws our eye to an illuminated silhouette against the wall. It is Judas departing. The contrast of light and friendship to that dark and lonely figure speaks volumes of how, in the end, the adversary never supports those who choose to follow him.

Jorge Cocco’s art is easily recognizable. He uses the principles of cubism in his paintings to illustrate deep, spiritual meaning. He has termed his style “sacrocubism”. In this last supper painting, patterned after Da Vinci’s classic, there are many layers of meaning.

For example, the light shining from the window highlights the scene and reflects its sacredness. At the same time, it lands on the shadowy figure of Judas, suggesting the sobering reality that even the adversary’s hidden works of darkness do not go unnoticed by God. 

Like most abstract art, Jorge’s pieces are up to personal interpretation. What symbols or insights do you see?

Simon chose to focus on the Savior in his last supper art. We do not see the twelve disciples, only Jesus, as He breaks the bread, initiating the sacrament.

There is gentle pain expressed in His face as He breaks the bread. The New Testament teaches us that the broken bread was symbolic of the suffering that Christ’s physical body would soon go through. (Matthew 26:26-28).

Similarly, Joseph Brickey chose to focus on Jesus Christ. In this last supper painting, we again only see Christ, who appears to be teaching those present "off-screen". 

We love the simple tones and style of this piece. It illustrates the Savior’s humility in obeying His Father in Heaven and reflects some of the strength it must have taken for Christ to devote time to speak with His disciples with the sort of events He knew were ahead of Him.

In these pieces of last supper art, we take an even more narrow focus. Eva chose to depict only the Savior’s hands as he breaks the bread. Her artistic choice allows us to be less concerned with historical or background details and more focused on the sacred act itself and what the symbolism means to us as individuals.

Annie’s last supper painting does not depict any people at all. We see the goblet and the bread laid out on a stucco surface.

Annie has also included a small bunch of olive branches in the painting. These branches remind us of the olive's Biblical symbolism, including the fact that the garden of Gethsemane was full of olive trees.

Characteristic of Eva’s style, we do not see any faces in this picture. The entire focus is on Christ’s hands as He washes the feet of one of the disciples.

The title, As I Have Loved You, emphasizes Christ’s example of service. When we remember how much love He shows us--even and especially when we are undeserving of it--it is hard to turn around and be cruel or unforgiving to others.

Jesus washing the disciples’ feet images illustrate just how humbling such an act of service is, socially as well as physically. Simon depicts Christ kneeling on the ground.

His back is bent at His task, which itself is nothing glamorous. It is a reminder that if the Savior of the world is willing to stoop so low to serve us, we are capable of letting down some of our own walls to help those around us.