Fig 5.9 -Last Super Revisited
Text: Page 166 and 167
How does the appearance of Mary change the scene? The great painting of Leonardo da Vinci highlighted the role of Judas and the momentous moment when Jesus says, “one of you will betray me.” In previous paintings of the Last Supper, artists typically removed Judas from the table. Da Vinci makes Judas a central, “shadowy” character, portrayed as nervously clutching a small bag of silver, aware that Jesus knows of his betrayal. This painting was seen as a warning to a Church consumed with power and money, who, like Judas, had betrayed the true message of Jesus by not dealing with their own shadow and misuse of power, destined during the Renaissance to suffer their own crucifixion.