Lecture Notes: Tintoretto's Last Supper in San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
Overview
Location: San Giorgio Maggiore, across the Grand Canal from San Marco in Venice.
Painting: "The Last Supper" by Tintoretto.
Displayed in the sanctuary of the church on the right wall.
Notable for its large size and unconventional approach.
Characterized as a Mannerist interpretation.
Comparison with Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper
Leonardo's Version:
Table is horizontal, showcasing high Renaissance linear perspective.
Christ at the vanishing point, centered in the image.
Natural light used, with Christ framed by a window, no halos.
Tintoretto's Version:
Christ glows from within, emphasizing spiritual symbolism.
Use of light: Only two sources,
A lantern (upper left) with flame and smoke.
Divine light emanating from Christ.
Angels depicted, unlike high Renaissance hesitation.
Visual Elements
Light:
Central to understanding the painting.
Christ's glow creates deep shadows, directing focus.
Apostles with smaller halos.
Energy and Drama:
Primary diagonal of the table moves with speed to a vanishing point.
Questionable use of linear perspective; table tilts forward.
Pictorial spaces are upended.
Form and Color:
Form dissolves under Tintoretto’s line and color.
Union of Florentine and Venetian Renaissance traditions.
Studio sign emphasizing line (Michelangelo) and color (Titian).
Narrative and Details
Pull of various elements:
Velocity of table’s orthogonals.
Light around Christ.
Anecdotal details at the periphery, e.g., a woman and a cat.
Eucharistic Scene:
Christ stands, offering bread and wine.
Apostles’ reactions to Christ’s words.
Contextual Significance
Contrast between the painting's solemnity and peripheral elements.
Tintoretto’s work as more dynamic and human compared to Leonardo’s harmonious, balanced Last Supper.
Setting:
In Palladio’s classical, pristine San Giorgio Maggiore.
Tintoretto’s dark, mysterious painting contrasts with Palladio's rational architecture.
Transition from high Renaissance classicism to Tintoretto's mannerism.
Conclusion
Tintoretto’s "Last Supper" is a masterful blend of energy, spirituality, and human elements set against a traditional, classic architectural backdrop.