Emil Nolde’s “The Last Supper” is the Expressionist painting
made in 1909, illustrating the famous Bible scene.
There is the Jesus sitting in the middle with closed eyes,
and a bit opened mouth, holding in his hands something liking as glass, but I
also thought it was a playing card when I’ve seen the picture for the first. There
are 12 people around him, being really close to each other and to Jesus
himself. There are lots of different expressions on apostle’s faces, and it is
almost the only thing we could see because most of the bodies are covered one
by each other.
The way how people are close to each other and to the central person
on the painting could be understood literally, as relations there all had. The
Jesus’s face seems tired, but it also might be understood as a relaxed face, as a
contrast to the variety of expressions people around have. “The Last Supper” as
a scene itself is really important for people and for their history. Artists,
who use to illustrate it definitely have something to express – love for God,
issues of humanity using it as a symbol, or some kind of their soul state… Whatever
it is – drawing bible scenes are mostly really symbolic.
This painting is made in a bit messy way, as lots of
expressionist arts do. Colors look a bit dirty in whole, but looking on it closer
you could see a variation of bright colored strokes. Skin is made of yellow and
green colors, making a contrast with red lips and shadow representing lines. Faces
definitely have an unrealistic look, what is also not uncommon in expressionists
artworks. They could be compared to masks, but I guess it is more about the personal
style of the artist and a better way to represent the expression.
There are plenty of different moods in the painting. You
could find there such things as fear, curiosity, happiness, tiredness, annoyance,
wonder and etc. It definitely does express a lot, but still, the first thing
you notice is the calm face with a bit of tiredness of Jesus. What is pretty
interesting because calmness isn’t something you would like to make an
expressionist painting for. But it seems like it that element pools the picture
a lot so it would be able to make a contrast with so many different expressions.
Otherwise, it would be just lost in there.
So this painting is definitely made with expressionism and
it has some visual and emotional qualities the painting with expression should
have. But it also that I don’t feel like I could say what exactly should be
expressed by this. I guess mostly the Bible scenes are recreated in different
styles to represent something with a symbolism. So this scene should probably
be about the betrayal. But it is interesting I can’t really point on the Judah
on here. Maybe it just me having lack knowledge of holy scripture, or it might be
the way to say all of them could be Judah, and it’s up to you how many trusts
could you offer. Or he is just didn’t fit a canvas because it is too small.
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