Friday, March 29, 2013

The Last Supper


Easter is indeed the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. The Thursday before Easter was the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with the Apostles. The most famous painting of The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan. A lesser known one, also named The Last Supper is by Marco Zapata (c.1753), a meal of bread, wine and guinea pig.  We saw the painting on display in the Cathedral in Cuzco Peru. Roasted guinea pig was an delicacy, which the Spanish call cuy. The Eucharist cup, various other glasses and two platters of native foods are visible. The platters include red, purple, tan and yellow potatoes as well as red and yellow rocotos, or spicy peppers and corn. It is said that there was local Pisco or chicha in the glasses. Marco Zapata was one of the last native painters of the Escuela Cusquena and one of the most prolific artists of mid-eighteen century Cuzco. The platter of the guinea pig makes for a unique Last Supper.

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