The Last Supper: composition study in red chalk
Christ and the apostles seated at a long table beneath a draped canopy
A red-chalk drawing of the Last Supper: a calm central figure of Christ is flanked by the apostles ranged in animated groups along a long draped table, set within a room hung with a swagged canopy and side hangings. The disciples gesture and lean toward one another in clusters, while foreshortened lines carry the interior back into depth. A cursive inscription runs across the lower right corner and further marks appear on the canopy overhead; these are not transcribed here, and additional untranscribed writing may be present.
On this page
Christ and the apostles grouped along the table
Thirteen figures are massed behind a long cloth-covered table, with the still central figure set off against the agitated apostles clustered to either side. Their groupings, gestures and inclined heads convey the reactions running through the assembly. The drawing works out the disposition of the whole company rather than any single portrait.
Interior setting and perspective of the hall
A swagged canopy and hanging draperies enclose the scene, with lightly ruled lines suggesting walls and floor receding behind the table. The foreshortened table and floor establish the depth of the room. The architecture frames the figure composition as a pictorial design.