Last Supper

Batoni's 1783 Last Supper at the Estrela Basilica in Lisbon is part of a series of large altarpieces he executed for this important Portuguese royal foundation. The Estrela Basilica (Basílica da Estrela) was built under Queen Maria I of Portugal to fulfill a vow, consecrated in 1790, and its decoration involved commissions from the leading painters of the day including Batoni. The Last Supper, depicting Christ's final meal with the apostles and his institution of the Eucharist, was a natural subject for a major basilica's high altar or side chapel. Batoni at this point was in his late seventies and nearing the end of his career, yet these Estrela commissions show that major sacred commissions continued to flow to him. The Portuguese royal court's investment in Batoni connected Lisbon to the broader European network of papal Rome.

Oil on canvas designed for a specific architectural setting within the basilica — scale and lighting conditions would have shaped compositional choices. Batoni follows the canonical Last Supper format placing Christ at center with twelve apostles arrayed around the table. His late palette remains bright and clear, with careful management of the complex multi-figure scene.