The Last Supper 1695

Curator: Luca Giordano painted this depiction of The Last Supper in 1695 using oil paints. It's an excellent example of Baroque style. Editor: Woah, talk about dramatic lighting. It’s got this whole mysterious, almost cinematic vibe to it, like a pivotal scene in a religious drama. Curator: Absolutely. Giordano expertly utilizes light and shadow to create a theatrical atmosphere. The Baroque period was heavily influenced by Counter-Reformation ideals and, art was intended to inspire religious fervor and demonstrate the grandeur of the church, as such artworks needed to depict recognizable subject matter. Editor: True, I can totally see that. But, aside from the grandeur, there’s also this really intimate feel, as though we're spying on this incredibly important meal. Like we caught it candid and unexpected. You almost feel the hush, but maybe that's because the angles used make the viewers crouch, so one might expect quiet humility and reflection. Curator: And if you follow it into broader European and religious art traditions and how, following on earlier Renaissance ideals, they would commonly make Jesus the focus in artworks. By comparison to earlier renaissance painting where the work sought clarity in storytelling through simple geometry, this version has the opposite—obfuscation from overlapping characters in disarray to give the entire room some emotional turbulence Editor: Right? And the textures of their robes…you just wanna reach out and touch them! And the dude carrying a stack of dirty plates gives off some really harried emotions too! It's not always about perfection; its about those unvarnished emotional brushstrokes. That's real. Curator: Agreed. The focus is on evoking emotions, and through those expressions we gain an understanding about the history. Giordano makes choices—ones that might reflect the Baroque period. But, despite this paintings roots to religious doctrine, to me it also serves a time capsule of social context and how even those who held influence lived their day-to-day life. Editor: Definitely gives you a lot to think about...a full palette of historical insight! Curator: Yes, I can better contextualize the history of The Last Supper, knowing it was Giordano's historical period he was trying to portray as well.