The Last Supper

Jesus is positioned centrally, his head framed by a radiant circular halo that illuminates the crowded room. The apostles display a range of emotional responses to his words, with St. Peter shown in the foreground pouring wine and a young St. John leaning toward Christ. A parrot, a symbol sometimes associated with the 'Ave' of the Annunciation, sits on a perch in the background under the vaulted ceiling.

This print is part of Goltzius’s 'Masterpieces' series, where he demonstrated his 'Protean' ability to perfectly emulate the styles of past masters like Albrecht Dürer. This technical shapeshifting was viewed in Mannerist circles as a form of intellectual and artistic alchemy, transmuting the identity of the artist through the mastery of historical 'maniera.'