Art is at the Core : The Last Supper
It has been said that Leonardo Da Vinci accomplished more than any other man in history. He was an inventor, a musician, a sculptor, an architect, an engineer, a writer, and a painter (among so many other things). Da Vinci is a staple in art curriculums worldwide, here are some ideas for integrating one of his most famous works, The Last Supper, with other subjects.
Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a beloved literary masterpiece. Both the text and the illustrations, created by John Tenniel, have been iconic for many generations. This work has been so popular that many visual artists have developed their own series’ based on the text. See Bessie Pease Gutmann, Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst for starters.Natural Phenomena
One of his most famous paintings, The Last Supper, is painted in the refectory of the Monastery of Saint Maria delle Grazie in Milan. This painting was copied by other artists of da Vinci's time and has been reproduced widely since.
A depiction of the last supper between Jesus Christ and his disciple as Jesus tells them that one of them will betray him.
Here’s What You Need to Know About the Work:
The men are arranged in groups of three with Christ in the center. This puts emphasis on Christ, but also provides balance and symmetry. They are likely discussing who they think will betray Christ, as you can see them looking at each other and pointing. This body language depicts an uneasy feeling in the room.
Groupings of three have been used to represent the Holy Trinity throughout history. Additionally, the rule of threes in art is used to help a composition achieve balance. In other words, the human eye likes threes and thirds. Additionally, this work is dense with symbolism.
The math used to create this work is significant. You can read about how Da Vinci uses mathematical rules of perspective to create the work here.
Da Vinci experimented with a new mixture (linseed oil, pigments, egg) to paint this piece resulting in restorative work being necessary as early as 1517.
The many restorations to this piece have caused damage to the paint and some changes in the actual figures. There is some controversy surrounding the latest restoration, in 1977. It took 22 years, but those in favor of this restorative effort note that almost 50% of the original painting remains and the original brilliant colors are now more evident.
Wikipedia has an awesome, clickable image where you can hover over the image and click each man to learn their names. Da Vinci left documentation to identify each man in the painting.
Questions for Students to Ponder and Explore:
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Students should speculate and offer a justification for their responses that is grounded in actual artwork and what they know about its historical context.
What types of food are the men eating?
What is beyond the window?
Why are the men wearing such a limited number of colors (blue, red, cream, tan)?
Why are the men arranged in groups of three?
Where are the women?
What is the focal point of the work? How does the artist create the focal point?
Considering the body language, what might each man be saying? How are they reacting to the announcement Christ made?
Arts Integration Ideas (adapt for specific grade levels as needed):
History- Some speculate that Da Vinci painted himself into this work. Research theories that both support and refute this speculation. Determine which is most convincing. Write a persuasive piece citing research that considers the historical context.
Writing- View Ultima Cena by Juan de Juanes. Use a Double Bubble Map (Thinking Map) or a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two paintings. Use this to create a piece of writing.
Math- Study the perspective of the painting. Use rulers to measure and draw the room (windows, walls, etc.).
Language- Make a Circle Map (Thinking Map) of nouns in the painting. Sort the nouns into categories. Use the nouns to form sentences and paragraphs about the painting.
Science- Experiment with the materials Da Vinci used to create the paint for this piece. Create this paint. Test it, experiment with it. What materials would improve this type of paint? Make guesses about what other materials he might have included.
A note about questioning:
Questioning and discussing responses to works of art offer incredible benefits to students. However, it can be intimidating to lead these experiences for many educators. The truth is that most educators know exposing students to art will have huge payoffs, but the open-ended experience makes everyone feel vulnerable, especially in the beginning.
The good news is that our friends over at the Art Class Curator have developed a set of 82 Questions to Ask About Art cards that can be used to guide your questioning and discussions. These are great to use as prompts for whole group discussions, centers, and mini-lessons. You can download the cards, a list of the questions, and a list of suggested artworks to pair with the questions here.* And, here’s the best part! This is absolutely FREE! You should definitely go snatch that up!
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