Communion of the Apostles 1518

Albrecht Altdorfer painted 'Communion of the Apostles' using oil on vellum. The composition divides into foreground and background. In the foreground a cluster of figures are gathered around a central interaction. The background shows a landscape with a mountain range set under a cloudy sky. The use of atmospheric perspective is very striking. Altdorfer blurs the lines between the natural and the divine. He merges the earthly and the spiritual realms, and in doing so, challenges established notions of religious art. The artist's formal choices, his treatment of space and perspective, suggest an interest in the sublime. Altdorfer uses the natural world to open up a visual dialogue about transcendence and spirituality, creating an image that transcends the sum of its parts. This reminds us that art invites ongoing conversation, shaped by our perceptions and experiences.