- Jacopo Bassano's Last Supper - Web Gallery of Art
An increasing health concern focuses on the negative effects of overeating, portion size and obesity. Studying the size and type of food portions in art and the media across time can also reflect changing social norms in different cultures. Because art often imitates life, researchers have studied the amount of the food shown on the plates in the most famous paintings of the Last Supper to see if the portions have become larger.
The Last Supper is the Most Famous Work of Art Depicting a Meal, But Are Even the 12 Disciples Eating More?
During the millennium 1000 - 2000 AD, there have been dramatic increases in the abundance, affordability, and safety of food. A research study described in the International Journal of Obesity investigates a link between the portion-size of the food and plates to the head sizes depicted in paintings of the Last Supper done over the last one thousand years.
According to the gospels Matthew, Mark & Luke in the New Testament, the dinner took place on an evening during Passover (Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12). Lamb would have normally been served during a Seder, and half of the paintings of the Last Supper include food and plates. But the three Biblical accounts of the meal do not mention food other than bread and wine. Surprisingly, most paintings of the Last Supper did not include wine, so it was not analyzed.
Researchers Used Computer Program to Analyze Changes in Food Depicted in Christ's Final Meal
Based on selection criteria from the book, the Last Supper (2000), 52 of the best known renditions of the final meal of Jesus Christ were coded and analyzed to determine any changes over time. The sizes of the plates, loaves of bread and main dishes were studied. To account for the varying dimensions of the paintings, the average sizes of these items were compared to the average size of the heads depicted in the paintings and an analysis of the relative food-to-head ratio in the 52 representative paintings was done.
The analysis was aided by the use of a CAD–CAM program that allowed calculations of the items studied to be scanned and rotated, regardless of their original orientation in the painting. An index of 2.0 for the bread indicates that the average width of the bread is twice the width of the average disciple's head. The calculation of relevant ratios of size was confirmed by two independent coders who were unaware of the purpose of the study.
Researchers Study Growing Portions in Different Renditions of the Last Supper
The main dishes depicted in the paintings included fish or eel (18%), lamb (14%) and pork (7%); the remaining had no discernable main dish (46%). As suspected, the size of food portions in these paintings increased with time. The date of the painting explained 27% of the variation in size of the main course, 9% of the variation in size of the bread, and 21% of the variation in size of the average plate at the table.
From its depiction circa 1000 AD to the present, the ratio of the main course entree has generally increased by 69.2%. Similarly, the ratio of the size of bread has increased by 23.1% and the size of the plate by 65.6%, according to the study showcased in the International Journal of Obesity.
Many Artists Have Painted History's Most Famous Meal, But Is There More Food on the Plates?
There are multiple interpretations of the Last Supper done in many different types of media, from sketches to elaborate stained glass windows. This subject is one of the most highly recognized in the world. Among the other artists who have painted the Last Super are: Tobey, El Greco, Edward Burne-Jones, Vicente Masip, W. Chevalier, Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouvert, Jacopo Bassano, Andrea del Castagno, Peter Paul Rubens, William Blake, John Pennock, Joos van Cleve, Simon Dewey, Dieric Bouts the Elder, Cornell Barnes, Vincent Barzoni, Jacopo Bassano, Andy Warhol, and many others.
Sources:
- Editors of Phaidon Press [author). Last Supper (2000). Phaidon Press: New York.
- Wansink, B & C.S. The largest Last Supper: depictions of food portions and plate size increased over the millennium. International Journal of Obesity. March 23, 2010. Accessed 3-26-10.
- Wilson, Ralph F. Lord's Supper. Meditation for Disciples. Jesus Walk Bible Study Series. www.jesuswalk.com Accessed 4-05-10.
Linda Sue Meagher - Linda Sue loves animals, writing & art and considers herself a student of Human Nature. She loves outdoor adventures like skiing and ...
