Analysis: The Last Supper

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Bernard van Orley, Netherlandish The Last Supper ca. 1524-46 (design), ca. 1525-28 (woven) Wool, silk, silver-gilt thread Question #1: Discuss the importance of two principles of design in this piece. Brianna: Two principles of design that stick out to me on this tapestry are the color and implied shapes. In my opinion both of these cause a huge impact on this piece, without them your eyes would wander. The color in this piece is full of bright and darker tones, it is what draws your attention to the emphasis of this piece. The artist did this by surrounding Jesus with darker tones, from the clothing of the disciples to the art in the background. He then used lighter tones closer around Jesus and on Jesus himself, which makes him pop from …show more content…

The last supper of Jesus is a classic and often rendered event. Firstly, the artist utilizes emphasis in this piece. Jesus is depicted at the center of the table, with an overpowering halo over his head. The viewer’s eye immediately is attracted to this focal point. Using emphasis in order to stress the importance of Jesus not only allows the viewer to immediately know who this piece is about, but it also allows the viewer to see his humble importance in a visual way. This piece was created in a time of vigorous Christianity, therefore the artist clearly wanted to depict Jesus in a matter where he was important and pure, accomplished through the use of the halo. Jesus is also the only one looking directly at the viewer, adding to the sense of emphasis as everyone else in this piece seems to be distracted. This use of emphasis through placement and a halo is also utilized in The Last Supper, by Dagnan-Bouveret, as well as in the many pieces depicting this event. This creates the sense that Jesus alone knows the truth and he alone can communicate it to the viewer. Furthermore, the artist also utilizes balance, as although Jesus is the center point of this piece, everything to his right and left remains in relative harmony. Although the balance is not exactly symmetrical, there still remains a sense of unity. This points to the notion that although Jesus is the head of the table and the most important, he brings unity to all of those around him. Even amongst the discord of the last supper, Jesus creates a sense of

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