The Last Supper (German: Das letzte Abendmahl) is an oil on canvas painting created by the German expressionist artist Emil Nolde (1867–1956). Executed circa 1912–1913, the work depicts the biblical scene of Jesus Christ sharing his final meal with his twelve apostles. It reflects Nolde’s distinctive expressionist style, characterized by vivid, non‑naturalistic colours, bold brushwork, and an emphasis on emotional intensity over realistic representation.
The painting is part of a series of religious works that Nolde produced after 1913, following his conversion to Christianity and his interest in biblical subjects. Unlike the Renaissance treatment of the same theme, Nolde’s composition employs stark contrasts and simplified forms to convey a sense of spiritual urgency and drama.
The work is held in the collection of the Emil Nolde Museum (Nolde Museum) in Seebüll, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The museum, located near Nolde’s former home, houses a substantial number of his paintings, drawings, and prints, providing context for his late‑period religious oeuvre.
Subject matter: The Last Supper, as described in the New Testament, showing Jesus and his disciples at the moment of instituting the Eucharist.
Style: Expressionism, with an emphasis on emotional expression through exaggerated colour and form.
Significance: The painting illustrates Nolde’s shift from his earlier, more secular subjects to a focus on Christian iconography, marking an important phase in his artistic development and contributing to the broader tradition of modernist interpretations of the Last Supper motif.