The Last Supper, from "The Passion of Christ" 1598 - 1617

This anonymous engraving, "The Last Supper, from 'The Passion of Christ'," is currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The print depicts a biblical scene through a European lens and speaks to the cultural appropriation of religious narratives. The figures are rendered with a Northern European sensibility, their faces and clothing reflecting the fashions of the time, imbuing the scene with a contemporary familiarity while simultaneously distancing it from its historical and cultural origins. This act of translation reveals the power dynamics inherent in the interpretation of religious texts, and how identity shapes understanding. Look closely, and you might consider how our own backgrounds influence our understanding of this iconic scene. How does the emotional weight of this moment shift when viewed through a lens of cultural exchange?