The Last SupperLucas Cranach Vanem · 1547

A Sacred Gathering at the Table

In this 1547 painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the solemnity of the Last Supper is captured through a scene of profound intimacy. Jesus sits at the center of a large dining table draped in a white tablecloth, surrounded by his twelve apostles. The setting is a stately room where the group is seated around an oval stone bench, while Christ himself occupies a separate square block at the right edge of the composition. Within this gathering, certain figures are rendered with striking detail: John the Apostle rests his head upon his chest, and a cupbearer dressed in a red knight's robe is visible at the right edge. The table itself holds essential elements of the Passover, including unleavened bread and a lamb.

Windows to the Wittenberg Landscape

The architecture of the room features two prominent arched openings in the wall that serve as windows without glass, framed by pilasters on either side. These openings reveal an expansive landscape beyond the immediate dining scene. Through the left window, a partially withered tree can be seen, while the right-hand window offers a view of a high white mountain topped by a town and a large building that recalls the Wittenberg castle. The composition is further enriched by specific figures placed within the group, such as the disciple identified as Martin Luther and another figure recognized as the printer Hans Lufft.