The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-07-21

through fear of hostile, pagan eyes,
but none of them represent the Last
Supper. The multiplication of the
loaves and fishes was pictured in
those Subterranean shrines; also,
loaves OF bread with fish-the fish,
symbol of Christ, having been used
frequently by early Christian artists.
Placed side by side with bread, the two
were easily understood to mean the
Food of Angels.
The oldest Last Supper which we
have is mosaic at Ravenna, dating
from the sixth century. Historically
of great interest, no one could call 1t
beautiful as it is crude and stiff.
There is a certain dignity in the figure
of Our Savior, but the Apostles lack
even this. They appear to be most
uncomfortable, crowded as they are
about semicircular table.
But the day Of such unskilled work
was short In the Middle Ages art
blossomed into glory, first in Italy and
shortly afterwards in Spain, the
Netherlands and France, with the Last
again by men striving to praise the
Love which loved us, not only unto the
death on the Cross but the multiplied
humiliations of the Eucharist.
1t is marvellous how widely the pic
lures differ, each taking color from
master, though since Leonardo da
Vincis time his arrangement has often
been more or less faithfully copied.
Some of the pictures are typically
Oriental, with dining hall of unfamiliar
aspect and turbaned figures with eX-
pressive, dark faces; others might be
scenes from Italy or Northern Europe.
The rooms vary in size, style, magnifi-
cence. Generally it is daylight, but
there are famous Last Suppers in
which the hall is lighted by lamps or
candles. The Apostles recline, as was
the custom in Christ's day, or sit upon
stools, to please the taste of later cen
turtles These stools sometimes proved
pitfall for if an artist seated the
Twelve so, and then tried to represent
ST. John as leaning upon the breast of
Jesus, the result was almost newt
ably strained position altogether I'M
natural, il not impossible. Veronese
overcame the difficulty in his exquisite
Last Supper treasured in the Gallery
at Florence. The figure of 1.-The
disciple whom Jesus loved" is grace
full, peaceful, loving. Although not
among the best-known, this picture is
nevertheless of surprising beauty.
The landscape background and the
simple elegance of the room form a
perfect setting, and there is an in
describable charm in the loving, rev.
erent Apostles, a wondrous dignity
and sweetness in their Lord and
Master.
In representations of the Last Sup
per which have come down to us from
the Middle Ages, the beholder is never
left in doubt as to which of the
Apostles is Judas. Sometimes little
devil, perched upon his shoulder
whispers excitedly into his ear; at
best he looks the villain from head to
foot. Occasionally, he alone has nc
halo, and often his stool is apart from
the others. 1t was only in the thir-
; teenth century that he began to be
represented with the purse in his
hand.
Some artists-Rubens, for instance
and Champagne and Holbein-pic
ture the Bread which Christ conse
Grated as being in the form of small
lOaves; others, less concerned with
historic possibility, painted small
white hosts, such as are used today
There are pictures of the Last Sup
per, most of them modern, so realistic
as to seem irreverent. In the West
phalian Last SUPPER" at each place
on the table there is a drinking CUP
such as is still used in Soest, and q
ham and pigs head form part of the
meal. Fritz Won Uhde shows us q
group of unshorn, uncouth peasants
: seated on stools, with the Christ in
: their midst little more remarkable
than themselves. The room is small
and bare, not the Large dining-room
5 furnished" of the Gospel. Won Geb
hardt's Last Supper, the extreme Of
realism, with it's ornate nineteenth
century room and unattractive figures
) has for many little suggestion
yond the name-of anything holiel
than common supper party.
: In the 'Benedictine church in Venice
/ there is Last Supper by Tintoretto;
: a magnificent piece of work, but al
| unlike our conception of the simple
5 awful majesty of the Supper in the
. Cenacle at Jerusalem. 1t has beer
said of Tintoretto that he was 6
dramatist rather than an artist, anC
surely this picture is theatrical. The
). coloring is gorgeous. In a magnificent
. hall, lighted by hanging lamp
: Christ and the Twelve have theil
places at long, narrow table. Oul
Saviour, His head surrounded by {
brilliant nimbus, stands and gives
the Divine Food to the Apostles be
side Him. The air overhead il
crowded with angels. Servants, botl
men and women, hurry back ant
forth carrying trays and dishes. Ii