Although I was raised in Christianity and attended Maundy Thursday dinners at our church, as well as other services related to Easter, I had never given the “Last Supper” much thought…until Dan Brown wrote The DaVinci Code. All of a sudden I was obsessed with Leonardo Da Vinci, the sacred feminine, Mary Magdalene, gnostic texts, and symbology. At that time the book was published, I hadn’t traveled to Italy yet, but once I did I realized that there are far more depictions of the Last Supper than the one in Milan by Leonard Da Vinci. In fact, Florence hosts several that are open to visit…and are in better shape than Leonardo’s.
Thanks to the Florentine elite trying to curry favor with God, the people, and the pope, they commissioned artists to create fabulous works in the churches and other public spaces. Not all religious art was meant for public consumption though. Artists frescoed religious areas of convents and monasteries both public and private. Dining halls often were painted with an important event in Christianity—the Last Supper. This was the final meal Jesus Christ shared with his apostles before his crucifixion.
The Italian word for depictions of the Last Supper is cenacolo. You will see this word a lot when trying to hunt down these paintings, so it’s helpful to know. The term refers to the convent refectories where meals were taken; this is where many of the paintings are still located.
The churches, monasteries, and convents where the cenacoli (plural) are like small little museums and will also have other works on display besides the Last Supper. The ones in Florence that I’m noting all hail from the Renaissance period. The Italian Renaissance artists took the picture a step further, rendering the full scene of the meal—complete with Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, vessels for the Eucharist, and apostles surrounding Christ, generally at a long table—on the walls of rooms where the devout would dine.
Below is a list of my favorite cenacoli in Florence (in no particular order).
Cenacolo by Taddeo Gaddi (c. 1336-1366) at Basilica of Santa Croce. This massive painting takes up the lower part of a wall in the separate room of the convent. The area was almost completely submerged by the great flood of 1966, so some of the fresco is badly damaged but restoration efforts saved a lot of it. Above the Last Supper is Gaddi’s painting of the crucifixion on the Tree of Life. The cost to see this cenacolo is included in the ticket for the Basilica of Santa Croce complex.
Cenacolo by Pietro Perugino (1493-1496) at the Convent of Fuligno (via Faenza 40). This painting was originally thought to have been painted by Raphael but is instead now thought to be by his master, Perugino. This depiction shows Judas sitting separately at the table across from Jesus and the apostles. It is located, along with some other works, at the former covent of the Sisters of Fuligno. Entrance to the space is free but has limited hours, so check before venturing out.
Cenacolo by Andrea del Castagno (1447) at the Convent of Sant’Apollonia (via XXVII April, 1). The room is austere and makes the Castagno’s painting the main show. The disciples depict great emotion through their gestures. Judas is set closer to the viewer. He’s in the painting for sure but is shown as not being with Jesus or his disciples. You can tell there is something different about him which was a way for these painters to show that this was the man who would betray Christ. Entrance is free but the convent has limited hours, so check ahead of time.
Cenacolo by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1480) at the Convent of Ognissanti. This monumental painting is one of my absolute favorites of all the Last Suppers. Although the adjacent church is regularly open, the cenacolo of Ghirlandaio has odd days that it’s open. I suggest checking with the tourist office when you get to Florence and ask them if they know which days it will be open that month. If you’re lucky, it will be on a day when you’re visiting. Ghirlandaio painted Jesus and the apostles dining in a loggia around a long table. There are orange and cedar trees in the background and birds flying around. John is asleep at the right hand of Jesus. Peter holds a knife…maybe because he knows danger is coming. Judas is separated from the group and sits on a stool holding the bag of coins he has received to betray his friend. There are remnants of a meal and wine on the table. A peacock perches above the group. The scene draws the viewer in and commands their attention. Entrance to the church and the cenacolo (when open) is free. I suggest going to the church even if the Last Supper room isn’t open because the church itself has masterpieces by Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, and more.
Cenacolo by Plautilla Nelli (c. 1568) at Museum of Santa Maria Novella. This large scale 6.5×21 feet) painting on canvas depicts a familiar subject but is unique because it’s the only known cenacolo of the era to be painted by a woman. In her depiction, 12 barefooted apostles sit at a long rectangular table with Christ at the center. On the cloth-covered table is a modest banquet consisting of roasted lamb, and wine and bread—all symbolizing Christ’s physical sacrifice with the bread and wine representing the Eucharist. The viewer sees the moment when Christ announces to his apostles that one of them has betrayed him. Shock and dismay are shown on the apostles faces as they react to the news. Unlike the other haloed men, a halo-less figure sits alone on the front side of the table, separating him from the rest of the apostles and thus identifying him as the betrayer, Judas. He is clutching a purse of coins in his hand. To the right of Christ, John leans towards his Lord’s breast seeking comfort. You can see Nelli’s cenacolo with admission to the general Basilica of Santa Maria Novella complex. The church and the grounds are well worth the cost of admission.
Cenacolo by Orcagna (1365) at Basilica di Santo Spirito. This fresco is poorly preserved but since the square out front, Piazza Santo Spirito, is a popular place, you might already be in the area and want to take a visit. The refectory is the only surviving wing of the Augustine convent before Brunelleschi reconstructed the church in 1444.
Cenacolo by Franciabigio (1514) at Convitto della Calza. I’ve tried numerous times over the years to gain access to this Last Supper but have never been able to, so I can’t do anything but report that a Last Supper presumably exists here.
Cenacolo by Andrea del Sarto (1519-1527) at the monastery of San Salvi (Piazza di San Salvi, 10). This piazza is located on outskirts of town, but I’ve seen pictures of the cenacolo and it looks lovely. It’s free if you’re staying out this way and want to take a peek. Limited hours.
As you can see, there are several fine paintings of the Last Supper around Florence. Since there were many wealthy Florentine families trying to show off during the Renaissance, you will find works rivaling those in the Uffizi Gallery in the city’s churches—even the small ones. They are filled with beauty and history and well worth your time. I hope you take the time to see some of them.
Happy travels!
Last Supper by Ghirlandaio in Ognissanti church, Florence, Italy 
Last Supper by Ghirlandaio in Ognissanti church
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