Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting The Last Supper was first begun in 1495 and completed in 1498. The image captures the Last Supper at the moment Jesus tells his twelve apostles that one of them will betray him. (Da Vinci, 1495-98) Leonardo completed his famous painting in a dining room in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Britannica, “Leonardo da Vinci”). I chose this painting for various reasons. I just completed a course at Lewis University called The Message of Jesus. The Last Supper, documented in all four Gospels of the New Testament, has been widely discussed. I wanted to take what I learned about the Last Supper and combine it with art. I have knowledge of the Last Supper and want to know more from an artistic perspective. I have always found analyzing art challenging but rewarding and wanted to gain more experience appreciating art. Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper captures how each of the apostles experiences a unique and passionate emotion that emphasizes the wide range of human feelings during the height of tension when Jesus reveals that one of them will betray him. Some people may disagree and instead argue that Leonardo da Vinci's work The Last Supper is a simple biblical painting focusing on the apostles eating with Jesus. These individuals may emphasize the dining experience and gathering of Jesus and of his disciples. However, it is impossible to overlook how this piece captures the natural and human emotions of the apostles after learning of the betrayal. Furthermore, “This correspondence between physical movement and mental emotion is perfectly achieved in the scene of the Last Supper” (Heydenreich, 67). The meal itself is not the main purpose of the painting. Leonardo uses...... half of the paper...... human feelings during the tense climax when Jesus reveals that one of them will betray him. Works Cited Harris, Beth and Steven Zucker. "Leonardo's Last Supper.". Np, nd Web. 20 May 2014. .Heydenreich, Ludwig H. Leonardo: The Last Supper. New York: The Viking Press, 1974. Print.King, Ross. Leonardo and the Last Supper. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2012. Print."Leonardo da Vinci." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online academic edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 20 May. 2014. .The New American Bible. World Bible Publishers, Inc., 1987. Print.Da Vinci, Leonardo. The Last Supper. 1495-1498. Painting. Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy. Mixed medium.