The Sacrament of the Last Supper 1955

Salvador Dalí painted The Sacrament of the Last Supper using oil on canvas, a traditional medium, but with an unexpected approach. Notice the smoothness of the paint application. The colors blend seamlessly, creating a hyper realistic scene with a palpable sense of atmosphere. Dalí worked with the inherent qualities of oil paint, its viscosity and luminosity, to create a surreal scene. Consider the sheer labor involved in producing such a large-scale painting. The careful blending of colors, the precise rendering of details, and the overall sense of depth all speak to Dalí's skill as a craftsman. But the use of traditional materials also challenges the viewer to consider the relationship between the artwork and the modes of production. Is this painting simply a commodity, to be bought and sold like any other object? Or is it something more, a testament to the power of human creativity? By emphasizing the materials, making, and context of The Sacrament of the Last Supper, we can begin to understand the full meaning of the artwork.