Not currently on display at the V&A

The Last Supper

Relief
mid 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is an alabaster relief made in the middle of the 16th century in Flanders. The relief represents the Last Supper and is carved in high relief and set in an oaken frame.

Alabaster, a fine grained form of gypsum, is a smooth marble-like stone that was popular for the carving of religious sculpture. Softer than marble, it was much easier to carve and also considerably cheaper.
The southern Netherlands were an important centre for the production of alabaster sculpture during the 15th century, and while not producing the numbers that the English alabaster workshops turned out, they certainly exceeded their English counterparts in quality of craftsmanship. The English alabaster-carvers dominated the lower end of the market, catering for patrons right across Europe who could not afford to spend very much but were eager to furnish their parish churches and homes with religious imagery. The Netherlandish workshops, by contrast, produced fewer but many times more carefully finished alabaster sculptures, which were also considerably more expensive to buy.



Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Last Supper (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Alabaster carved in high relief in oaken frame
Brief description
Panel relief, alabaster, with the representation of the Last Supper, Flemish, middle of the 16th century
Physical description
Alabaster panel carved in high relief with the representation of the Last Supper in oaken frame.
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.75cm
  • Width: 53.5mm
Credit line
Given by Mr. R. P. Nichols
Subject depicted
Summary
This is an alabaster relief made in the middle of the 16th century in Flanders. The relief represents the Last Supper and is carved in high relief and set in an oaken frame.

Alabaster, a fine grained form of gypsum, is a smooth marble-like stone that was popular for the carving of religious sculpture. Softer than marble, it was much easier to carve and also considerably cheaper.
The southern Netherlands were an important centre for the production of alabaster sculpture during the 15th century, and while not producing the numbers that the English alabaster workshops turned out, they certainly exceeded their English counterparts in quality of craftsmanship. The English alabaster-carvers dominated the lower end of the market, catering for patrons right across Europe who could not afford to spend very much but were eager to furnish their parish churches and homes with religious imagery. The Netherlandish workshops, by contrast, produced fewer but many times more carefully finished alabaster sculptures, which were also considerably more expensive to buy.

Bibliographic reference
Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1866. Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 24
Collection
Accession number
269-1866

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Record createdAugust 12, 2008
Record URL
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