The Last Supper

This illustration is one of a large series for the Bible of Thomas Butts, Blake’s most important patron. Though Butts was keenly interested in Blake’s talent and visionary style and was vital in keeping Blake alive, there were frequent conflicts of interest between the two. This image of The Last Supper is one of Blake’s less idiosyncratic representations of a Biblical event. Unlike Renaissance depictions, the event seems to take place outside of any context or landscape; all the attention is on Jesus and the Apostles. The figures themselves are androgynous, with Peter, in particular, resembling a lover with his flowing blue clothing and devoted expression.