Pieter De Witte, The Last Supper, 1680, Oil on Canvas

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17th-century tuscan painter

the last supper
by pieter de witte (c. 1548 – 1628)

oil on canvas (89 x 134 … Read more 17th-century tuscan painter

the last supper
by pieter de witte (c. 1548 – 1628)

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

this delightful painting, depicting the last supper, with jesus surrounded by his apostles, is attributed to a painter of the tuscan school, active in the mid-17th century, who also reveals strong references to 16th-century mannerist culture.

thanks to its evocative theme, the work is full of charm and extremely interesting.

its scenic setting is extremely 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, holds in his right hand the coin purse, symbolic of his impending betrayal, and is the only one in the group looking directly at the viewer.

detailing the subject, 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 has survived and spread throughout europe thanks to the print by the flemish engraver jan sadeler i (*), who made this composition famous at the time.

this subject has in fact been depicted in countless variations over the centuries by various artists, not only flemish, faithfully based on de witte's model. These include the painting of the late-renaissance high altar in schleswig-holstein, in st. Mary's church in flensburg, painted in 1598 by jan von enum and the altarpiece adorning tórshavn cathedral (denmark), derived from the same engraving by an anonymous flemish artist in 1647.

but the model's popularity did not stop in northern europe: de witte, thanks to the influences he absorbed during his stay in tuscany, specifically in vasari's workshop in florence, is considered a true "tuscan-flemish" artist, blending tuscan mannerism with northern realism. His works were therefore widely studied, reproduced, and copied by many italian painters.

added to this is the diffusion of the aforementioned sadeler print in italy: it was particularly popular on the tuscan market thanks to matteo florimi, a prominent art publisher active in siena between 1580 and 1613, known for republishing and marketing replicas or prints based on the works of the greatest european masters of the time, primarily jan sadeler i.

looking closely at our painting, we can appreciate its excellent 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 that 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 figures from the sides, enhancing the volumes of the draperies and the expressiveness of the faces.

the work is in good condition, with the presence of previous restorations.

additional information:

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

the work is presented in a beautiful gilded wooden frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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