Luke 22

The Last Supper in Biblical Art

The Last Supper has shaped Christian memory of betrayal, fellowship, Passover, and the institution of the Lord's Supper.

Bible and Art Context

Leonardo captures the emotional shock after Jesus announces that one of the disciples will betray him. The composition turns theology into drama: Christ remains calm at the center while the disciples react around him.

Leonardo da Vinci mural of Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper

Public domain

The Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci, 1495-1498, Tempera and oil on plaster

Leonardo organizes the disciples into waves of reaction while Christ remains the still center.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bernard van Orley painting of Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper

CC0

The Last Supper

Bernard van Orley, ca. 1525-1528, Oil on wood

Van Orley places the supper in a dense architectural setting, showing the meal as both intimate fellowship and solemn turning point.

Source: The Met Open Access

Questions about Last Supper in Art

Where is the Last Supper in the Bible?

The Last Supper is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels. This page links to Luke 22.

Why is Leonardo's Last Supper famous?

Its composition, emotional clarity, and central placement of Christ made it one of the most influential biblical images in Western art.

Related biblical art