In common with other depictions of
Leonardo Da Vinci The Last Supper
from this period, Leonardo adopts the convention of seating the
diners on one side of the table, so that none of them have their
backs to us. However, most previous depictions had typically
excluded Judas by placing him alone on the opposite side of the
table from the other eleven disciples and Jesus. Another
technique commonly used was placing halos around all the
disciples except Judas. Leonardo creates a more dramatic and
realistic effect by having Judas lean back into shadow. He also
creates a realistic and psychologically engaging means to
explain why Judas takes the bread at the same time as Jesus,
just after Jesus has predicted that this is what his betrayer
will do. Jesus is shown saying this to Saints Thomas and James
to his left Distracted by the conversation between John and
Peter, Judas reaches for a different piece of bread, as, unseen
by him, Jesus too stretches out with his right hand towards it.
All of the angles and lighting draw attention to Christ.