The Last Supper, by Pieter de Witte (c. 1548 – 1628)

17th century Tuscan painter

Last dinner
By Pieter de Witte (c. 1548 – 1628)

oil on canvas (cm. 89 x 134 – framed cm. 100 x 145)

FULL DETAILS OF THIS PAINTING (CLICK HERE)

The pleasant painting in question, depicting the episode of the Last Supper, with Jesus surrounded by his apostles, can be attributed to the hand of a painter of the Tuscan school and active in the mid-17th century who reveals, at the same time, a strong reference to the 16th-century Mannerist culture.

Thanks to the evocative theme it deals with, the work is full of charm and extremely interesting.

Its scenic setting is rich, with Christ, the fulcrum of the composition, surrounded by the apostles. To his left, John, with his eyes closed, rests his head on his Master's left shoulder, while Peter, to his right, expresses deep concern after learning that his Lord is about to be betrayed. Judas, in the right foreground, holding in his right hand the coin purse, symbolic of his imminent betrayal, is the only one in the group looking directly at the viewer.

Going into the subject in detail, it is a beautiful derivation from Pieter de Witte (c. 1548–1628), one of the most influential Flemish-Mannerist compositional models in the history of art. Although the original painting has been lost, the powerful iconography survived and spread throughout Europe thanks to the print made by the Flemish engraver Jan Sadeler I (*), who made this composition famous at the time.
(* https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300619651 )

This subject has in fact been declined in countless variations over the centuries by various artists, not only Flemish, faithfully based on the model of de Witte, among these the painting of the main late-Renaissance altar of Schleswig-Holstein, in the Church of St. Mary in Flensburg, painted in 1598 by Jan von Enum (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marienkirche_(Flensburg)#/media/Datei:MariaNadverbilledeFlensborg.jpg ), and also the altar version that adorns the cathedral of Tórshavn (Denmark) and derived from the same engraving, the work of an anonymous Flemish artist from 1647 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B3rshavn_Cathedral#/media/File:FaroeNadver.jpg ).

But the model's success did not stop in Northern Europe: consider that de Witte, thanks to the influences he absorbed during his stay in Tuscany, specifically in Florence in Vasari's workshop, is considered to all intents and purposes an artist of the "Tuscan-Flemish" style, who fused the Tuscan Mannerist style with Northern realism, and his works were therefore widely studied, reproduced and copied by many Italian painters.

Added to this is the diffusion in Italy of the aforementioned Sadeler print: in particular, it was distributed on the Tuscan market by Matteo Florimi, an important art publisher active in Siena between 1580 and 1613, known for re-publishing and marketing replicas or prints based on the works of the greatest European masters of the time, first and foremost Jan Sadeler I.

Paying attention to our painting, we can appreciate its excellent quality of execution: the painting is highlighted by a design dominated by warm earth tones, intense reds, carmine pinks and olive greens, balanced by the whiteness of the tablecloth which illuminates the lower part of the canvas.

The scene emerges from a dark background through a theatrical use of light, inspired by Caravaggio, which strikes the characters from the sides, enhancing the volumes of the drapery and the expressiveness of the faces.

Work in good condition with the presence of old restorations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The images were taken using a professional photographic set; therefore, the painting, if not properly lit, may appear darker.

The work comes with a beautiful gilded wooden frame and a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic description.

We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.

It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works.

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