Christ and the apostles share their last supper. Engraving by P.W. Tomkins after H.J.C. Whitshed after J. Pontormo.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 26.17-35; Mark 14.12-25; Luke 22.7-38. John 13. In John 13.23 the apostle John is described as resting on Christ's breast. As Réau explains, this would have been due to seating arrangements on triclinia. In Renaissance art, however, John's posture comes to indicate fraternal tenderness or the soul finding rest with God. In this image, Christ has clutched John's head in his arm; John's eyes are shut. See L. Réau, 'Iconographie de l'art chrétien' (Paris : P.U.F., 1957), II/II, p. 413. The dog at the foot of the table can have symbolic aspects. It is related to Judas, he sits to the right with a bag of money. See Réau, ibid., p. 415. The apostles point to eachother in dispute over who is the greatest among them