The latest Last Supper

This is the latest depiction of the Last Supper. It shows members of a small Cornish church portraying the disciples on the night before the Crucifixion. It took 18 months and was commissioned by St Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Tintagel, to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Here are the artist, Nicholas St John Rosse, (right) his son Alex (centre) who portrayed Christ and Father Bryon Storey (left) who portrayed Andrew.

This is a depiction at the National Wax Work museum from 2002.

 

And this is Malcolm Hardee (centre) who died in 2005, showing all the comic acts he helped to launch.

Comments

[tim smith]

this makes me sick to my stomach

think you won't meet "JESUS CHRIST" some day ? ??????????????

LORD HAVE MERCY, CHRIST HAVE MERCY

[Mary Lou]

I can't imagine why an artist would spend so much time on a depiction of a Masterpiece that should not and can not be duplicated. The artist has a lot of talent that should be used to honor God, not try to make use of a Master's (Leonardo da Vinci) work by imitating his style and methods.

[kate]

it stinks and im ashamed they do such horrible blaspheming things. God help you

[Anita]

Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do.
How can people be so sacriligious to use anything depicting Jesus in such a flippant way? The Last Supper is a sacred and holy portrayal of an event that was actually the forerunner of the Roman Catholic Mass. How dare anyone use it for their own selfish purposes.

[Tony Francis]

I like the Nicholas St. John Rosse painting. It doesn't seem to be sacrilegious in any way. Painters like Da Vinci used models dressed in contemporary garb for their art works. Compared to what has passed for "religious art" in the US over the last 50 years, this painting seems a breath of fresh air. It looks like it could be a Norman Rockwell. And, we get a glimpse of Fr. Bryon Storey.

[alan]

Sorry Bryan, but this really smacks of self-worship.

[Chan]

The Lord will have mercy on the artist and the sitters, shame on you people. About time you read about Leonardo's painting and its history. We are all entitled to our opinion. I think the painting is very good, if anything it has brought out talk about our faith, never a bad thing. Well done Tintagel

[Father Bryan Storey]

We all have mixed motives. This provokes much thought about the Good news. How we need it!

[Luke]

What is "selfish", and what is blasphemous? Is it any more "blasphemous" than da Vinci's racial alteration of Christ and the disciples, or Lorenzetti's, Ghirlandaio's, Raphael's, Tintoretto's, or even the beatified Fra Angelico's, a man who also painted his friends into religious paintings? Or is it more blasphemous than Dante's consignation of contemporaries to Hell? Perhaps these few commentators prefer their religious art to bear the likenesses of prostitutes, lovers, businessmen and politicians, rather than of fishermen, farmers and priests.
If the picture is to be criticized on these sorts of grounds then perhaps it should be that the depiction is not literal, that Christ and his disciples probably didn't wear buttoned shirts. I believe the painting may be quite easily defended, conceptually, historically and artistically. It is an absurd arrogance to assume the artist's motives.
And, Mr Tim Smith, are you unaware of all the Last Suppers painted before Leonardo da Vinci's? There are websites dedicated to them.

[Jo Keogh]

It is amazing to think that this artist has committed himself to painting such an essential part of the sacrament of communion in a modern style over a long period of time for the local community at a time of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the building. I think that this is a wonderful gift and it should be blessed and enjoyed.

[Father Bryan Storey]

Nothing's more provocative than Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel depiction of God the Father as an old man with a beard.

[alan]

Bryan - enlighten me, please.
If god created man in his own image, god must have the image of a man. Right? So why shouldn't Michaelangelo depict him as an old man - with a beard?
I'd really like to know.

[Father Bryan Storey]

Alan, you should know that spiritual beings are non material.

[Father Bryan Storey]

Spiritual beings have no body, Alan.

[alan]

Bryan, I'm always willing to learn, but your answers fail to satisfy me.
I wasn't talking about bodies, but about images. Michaelangelo created an image (picture) of god. An image isn't material.
And it had to be a man's image (with or without a beard).
Why? Because god created man in his OWN image.
So what's wrong with that?

[Violore]

Dear Alan, it is very good that you want to know what is God's image like. The best way is to get closer to Christ, and you will be on the right way to get an answer to your question. (a tip...the key is to be humble)

[Father Bryan Storey]

Alan. You'll never be satisfied if you think an image is not material.

[alan]

Sorry to have to come back, Bryan. But I'm confused.
God has an image - after all, he created man in "his own image".
You say I won't be satisfied if I think an image is NOT material, i.e. you imply that an image IS material.
So god has a (material) image?
But you say a spiritual being (god) is "non material".
Does god them jut have a little bit (his image) that is material?
Please help me in my ingnorance.
------
Violore - thanks for your comment. But as you see, I'm humble enough NOT to know all the answers.

[solstice]

I fail to see how anyone can be disgusted or offended by this masterpiece.If you look at the last supper with all the sex toys, that's offensive.Just goes to show the world is full of looneys.(we are all entitled to our oppinions) The last supper is a rite of passage for any artist. Next the queen. As did the artists mentor Annigoni.I hope people will still be talking about this painting for a few hundred years to come. I also wonder if the critics (the first 4) think the same about Leonado's painting. I would like to see Nicolas' depiction of the passion. GOD BLESS FATHER STOREY!!!!GOD BLESS TINTAGEL!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS CORNWALL MY BELOVED COUNTY!!!!

[Father Bryan Storey]

The likeness to God is in the spirituality, Alan.