Initial Response/Ideas My initial response to the exam theme was hidden meanings. It led me to investigate the hidden biblical messages and teachings there are in western art. I have a strong appreciation for renaissance art and this theme allows me to investigate into the subject deeper. Two examples discussed are The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci and The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. The Last Supper depicts Jesus and his apostles but also contains speculated hidden images like John being Mary Magdalene. In The Last Judgement, Michelangelo painted himself as St. Bartholomew to reflect his contempt for the commission, and depicted Jesus at the center of light and everything circling around him to represent

1. Initial Response/Ideas
My initial response to the exam theme was hidden meanings. It led me toinvestigate the hidden
biblical messages and teachings there are in western art. I have a strong appreciation for renaissance
art and this theme allows me to investigate into the subject deeper.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci depicts the last meal Jesus shared with his apostles but there
is a lot of speculation about hidden images in the painting.
Figure identified as John is
suspected to be a painting or
Mary Magdalene.
He is also tipping over
the salt shaker. This
may be related to the
near-Eastern
expression to "betray
the salt" meaning to
betrayone's Master.
Knife inPeter‘s hand is
pointed away from Christ,
perhaps foreshadowing
his violent reaction in
Gethsemane during Jesus'
arrest.
Last Judgement by Michelangelo has lots of symbolism in it.
Michelangelo pants Jesus in the
middle of the painting with light
coming from behind him, everything
else is circling around him which
represents Jesus as being the center
of the universe as the Sun is.
Biagio da Cesena, said “it was mostly disgraceful
that in so sacred a place there should have been
depicted all those nude figures, exposing
themselves so shamefully,”Michelangelo worked
the Cesena's semblance into the scene as Minos
with donkey ears while being bitten in the groin
by a coiled snake.
In the painting, Michelangelo does a
self-portrait depicting himself as St.
Bartholomew after he had been
skinned alive. This is reflective of the
feelings of contempt Michelangelo
had for being commissioned to paint
The Last Judgment.